Will CB Cory Trice Jr. be a full-contact participant when the Steelers open training camp?
The Steelers enter training camp largely healthy, but there some players with question marks. ILB Cole Holcomb’s health seems shrouded in mystery these days, but we know more about CB Cory Trice Jr. In act, the only thing we don’t really know if the team’s medical staff will clear him for full contact.
Trice already participated during OTAs, wearing a brace on his knee, though he may have had somewhat limited participation. We also observed him training without a brace a bit later one, which is hopefully a positive sign. The last step for him is to receive clearance for contact.
A 2023 seventh-round draft pick, Cory Trice Jr. is a tall, athletic cornerback. At least, he was when he was healthy. He fell in the draft because of his injury history, only to add to it. He only made it a few days into training camp before tearing his ACL last year.
While he might not be primed for an immediate role, Trice is one of those intriguing pieces with an eye toward the future. Could he emerge as a starter a year or two from now? In the meantime, they need some quality depth, and he could be one snap away from playing.
But you need clearance for contact before you can even have that discussion. You certainly can’t play in a game if you can’t absorb a hit. The bright side is that Trice has gone through this injury recovery before, and he came out the other side. He also knows what it takes to get through it, so that could help accelerate his recovery.
If we want to be brutally honest, Trice has a roster spot that he needs to earn. He should not assume that he has one guaranteed for him, especially with the practice squad readily available. The Steelers do have Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Darius Rush, and Anthony Averett, with Cameron Sutton in the penalty box. And that’s just outside depth without considering slot players.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
