Tony Hills Hurts Ankle, Chances At Making It At NFL Level

When right tackle Willie Colon went down for the year with an Achilles heel injury, it appeared that several reserve offensive linemen had an opportunity to make a name for themselves and perhaps jumpstart their NFL careers. Tony Hills, a 2008 draft pick, fits the bill. Hills had earned a helmet several weeks but did not see the field any during his first two NFL seasons.

Even though the Steelers signed veteran Flozell Adams last week, Hills was still very much in the mix to earn a starting job, or perhaps more realistically, the top reserve spot behind Adams and Max Starks on the depth chart. On Monday, Hills suffered an ankle injury that could really cripple his chances at ever cashing in on a break like the one presented to him this offseason. Veteran beat reporter Dale Lolley had this to say about the injury:

Hills, a fourth-round pick in 2008, has shown flashes of finally getting it, but not a lot of consistency.

And with some of the free agent signings/other young guys on this roster, he needed to be on the field every day to improve and make a positive impression.

But with Doug Legursky, Ramon Foster and Dorian Brooks pushing for roster spots, Hills may find himself on the outside looking in.