Coming into the NFL together as members of the same 2023 draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers, cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. established a strong relationship.
Once Trice went down with a torn ACL in training camp, it was a tough blow to not only the Steelers but also Trice, which affected Porter a bit.
Now, though, Trice is back on the field during Organized Team Activities for the Steelers, which has Porter fired up to see his friend and fellow cornerback getting closer to returning in full.
“Yeah, Cory’s my dog. That’s my guy. Just happy to see him have that smile back on his face, just to get back on the field,” Porter said of Trice getting back onto the field in OTAs, according to video via Steelers.com. “He’s not all the way back yet, but he’s still working and everything.
“So just him bringing the juice every day, just bringing that spirit, is good for the whole room.”
While there are major questions about the depth chart at the cornerback position for the Steelers, there is real excitement about cory Trice Jr., even with him coming off of another major knee injury. Seeing him back on the field for OTAs is a great step in the right direction for the Purdue product in Year 2.
Trice, who spoke to reporters earlier in the week, stated that he knew what the recovery process was going to be like and knew what was in store for him, which helped make that recovery process a bit easier. Seeing what Porter was able to do as a rookie has given Trice some confidence, too. But being back on the field this week during OTAs was a real shot in the arm for not only him but also his teammates and coaches.
As he continues to recover from the injury last August and gets closer and closer to returning to the field as a member of the Steelers, Trice will have a lot of eyes on him with the hopes that he can live up to the billing and becoming that second “Avatar” cornerback for the Steelers with Porter.
It’s great to hear Porter say Cory Trice Jr. is in good spirits and is lifting the room up, especially for a second-year cornerback who hasn’t had an NFL snap. Hopefully, his overall development and play can continue to lift up the Steelers’ cornerback room throughout the 2024 season.
