Depth has been an ongoing concern for the Pittsburgh Steelers for years, in some areas more than others. This offseason has that feeling that they’ve managed to address the majority of their concerns. They have tight ends. They have offensive and defensive linemen. They have linebackers. They even have quarterbacks.
What do they have in the secondary? Do they have enough? Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, and Joey Porter Jr. should make a good starting trio in the secondary, but is James Pierre, Chandon Sullivan, and perhaps Elijah Riley enough support behind them?
In speaking about the overall quality of depth that they have on defense this year, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin had one interesting comment, even if only in passing. “I think we’re just deeper all around”, he said, via the team’s website. He mentioned the front seven.
“We know we’re going to miss Cory Trice [Jr.] in terms of providing depth in the secondary”, he offered, however.
Trice was a seventh-round draft pick. He drew positive reviews during the spring and got off to a good start in training camp only to suffer a season-ending knee injury. For a player drafted so late, it really seemed as though his roster spot was a given.
Coaches don’t ordinarily cite the loss of a seventh-round rookie unprompted as a concern for depth. Those sorts of players are typically just fighting for a roster spot and hoping to contribute on special teams in order to hold onto their jobs.
It never really felt that way with Trice. While I don’t think he was ever going to be thrust into a regular role right away, he could have been in position to be the first outside cornerback off the bench if an injury arose—or perhaps two injuries, anyway, if the team wanted to leave Peterson on the outside on a full-time basis and bring in another slot defender.
At least for the moment, it seems as though Pierre will be in that position instead, behind Peterson, Wallace, and Porter. As has so often been the case throughout his career, he’s had his ups and downs this offseason. Had Trice not gotten injured, I’m not sure he would be making the roster—assuming that he does.
Although he was only drafted in the seventh round, Trice was widely viewed as a potential steal, his plummeting draft stock being chalked up to concerns about his long-term durability. Having had a major knee injury in college, to suffer another one before even getting into a preseason game does bring that discussion back up.
It’s good that he’s not a forgotten man, however, not that that should be a surprise. He is still with his teammates focusing on his rehab. It will be a long journey, but the Steelers seem to have their hopes up about him providing legitimate value when he does get back on the field. Who knows? Maybe he has a starting job in his future. But that’s a discussion for when he’s healthy, at the very earliest.
