The Pittsburgh Steelers spent a seventh-round draft pick on CB Cory Trice Jr. out of Purdue in the 2023 NFL Draft, but after a promising start to training camp, Trice suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Steelers currently have little cornerback depth behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, and while the team is intrigued by Trice as an option, they aren’t counting on him to be one, according to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo. During an appearance on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, Fittipaldo talked about how the Steelers view Trice.
“I think they are intrigued by him, but by no means are they counting on him. When they drafted him, they knew the injury history. That’s why he was a guy, he was a Day Two type of a talent, but the injuries were such that you could never take him that early in the draft. So if he comes back and he’s playing really well, then great, you have another depth corner, but they cannot go into this draft counting on Cory Trice to contend for a starting job when he’s coming off that bad injury. ”
While Trice has some promise, the fact he hasn’t logged a snap has to be concerning, and it’s why the Steelers shouldn’t and aren’t counting on him to play a big role. The problem the Steelers currently have is that they just don’t have much depth at all, with Trice, Darius Rush and Luq Barcoo among the team’s best options at outside corner behind Jackson and Johnson.
The Steelers also need to address the slot corner position, either in the draft or through free agency, but the team would be wise to also target an outside cornerback in the draft to help add some depth. Not only does it improve the team’s depth, but it also provides more competition for the likes of Trice and Rush and could help them reach their potential.
Cornerback could be an option for the Steelers on Day One, with names like Terrion Arnold and Nate Wiggins among those the Steelers have shown interest in, but it could also be an option on Day Two or beyond in a deep corner class. There’s also the possibility with the deep class that the Steelers could double up on the position in the draft, and if they aren’t counting on Trice to be a possible depth option, then it lends credence to that idea.
There’s still also the free agent route that the Steelers could take to add some more corner depth, but the draft will be telling, as well to see how they currently feel about their depth.
