Player: CB Cory Trice Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The second-year Steelers cornerback has been on the field and active during OTAs. While Cory Trice Jr. is sporting a sizeable brace on the knee with the torn ACL he is still recovering from, he appears to be making good progress. His recovery timeline seems to line up with his meaningful participation in training camp. From there, he can potentially compete for a role within the defense.
The best ability is availability, arguably the biggest concern about Cory Trice Jr. coming out of the draft. His injury history and future concerns damaged his stock, resulting in him falling to the seventh round. That’s where the Steelers felt comfortable drafting the talented and physically gifted cornerback.
Standing at 6-3 and weighing over 200 pounds, Trice fits the mold the Steelers want at the position. His college tape isn’t flawless, but there’s no question he would have been drafted much higher without injury concerns.
Unfortunately, Trice tore his ACL during training camp last year, spending his rookie season on the Reserve/Injured List. While most players recover from a torn ACL within a year, it’s still more problematic for younger players.
The fear for Trice was that he would spend so much of his offseason rehabbing his injury that he won’t have time to really compete for a role on the defense. So far, the early indications are favorable, based on his participation in OTAs. He appears to be moving around well, though I lack the professional requirements to ascertain his full availability for Latrobe.
Either way, he seems to be doing as well as expected. And the fact that the Steelers’ depth at cornerback isn’t great plays in his favor. Trice hasn’t ever yet earned a spot on a 53-man roster due to his injury, so 2024 is his first opportunity to do so after spending his rookie year on the Reserve/Injured List.
Currently, the Steelers have Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson in the starting lineup. It’s unlikely he can crack that duo, and none of them have shown an ability to play in the slot. But if Trice wants to get on the field, he better be open to any role. Cortez Allen broke out initially as a dime defender in the slot, so perhaps he can as well.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
