Player: CB Cory Trice Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: With nobody really having a standout game, let’s focus today on Cory Trice Jr. The second-year cornerback just completed his first-ever NFL game, having spent his rookie season on the Reserve/Injured List. He didn’t play a lot, but he still managed to make a play. That is one more milestone in his rearview mirror with his sights set on the next.
Cory Trice Jr. took one more step forward last night toward realizing his dream of playing in a meaningful NFL game. The second-year cornerback made his preseason debut, logging 11 snaps on defense against the Houston Texans. Although he didn’t play much, he did make a play, reading a screen pass to make a tackle for loss.
Really, though, while it was nice to see Trice make a play, the big story is that he played. A 2023 seventh-round pick, he is already in uncharted territory for himself. After turning some heads in his rookie spring, he suffered a torn ACL early in training camp.
Earlier this month, Trice made it through his first padded practice, which was another significant milestone. Now playing in his first game marks another significant step. Moving forward from here, it’s about ramping up the frequency and intensity.
Early in training camp, the Steelers had been holding him back to some degree, limiting his reps. They are now starting to put him on the field more and more, and that should accelerate after last night. Now that he has shown he can make it through a game—even on limited snaps—it’s time to push.
Even though he is ramping up his workload, Cory Trice Jr. is still in a battle for his job. He is certainly not going to start, and he may not even have a defensive role. But if the Steelers like him and his potential enough, they will do their best to hold onto him.
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.
