One of several position battles entering training camp was at outside corner. Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson have had the starting roles locked down since the start, but depth has been one of the big question marks with several inexperienced candidates vying for the role. Entering camp, second-year players Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr., along with veteran Anthony Averett had the best chance of competing for the top backup job. After the dust of the preseason settled, Trice appears to have won the competition.
“Depth at cornerback has been a concern all spring and summer. It appears that’s not the case anymore,” Pat McAfee Show Steelers insider Mark Kaboly wrote on X. “Trice put a cap on a solid preseason with a pair of tackles, including one for a loss, and showed coverage skills not only against the Lions but throughout the preseason that illustrated that he’s fully recovered from ACL surgery last August.
“It’s a significant development since the cornerback group is light behind starters Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson. Now, a groin injury late in the game may complicate that, but he’s earned the CB3 spot as of now.”
Trice was cleared for full contact just before the start of training camp as he worked his way back from a season-ending knee injury suffered on the first day of padded practice in 2023. Leading up to his injury, he was being talked about as a late-round gem for the Steelers. His length and athleticism are exactly the mold of corners that the Steelers have been after lately, and Trice was impressive throughout the spring after he was drafted in the seventh round.
Fast forward to the start of 2024 training camp, and Trice wasn’t getting many opportunities at first. Rush and Averett were getting many of the second-team opportunities. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin addressed Trice’s lack of usage after the first week of camp and said he would get more opportunities as camp wore on. He didn’t have a full offseason to get in football shape, after all.
That is exactly what happened, and it culminated in Trice starting opposite Jackson in the preseason finale as Porter sat out of the contest.
He had a solid showing with two tackles, including a tackle for loss.
To be trusted on defense, you have to be able to play the run. This play wasn’t anything crazy, but Trice was decisive working downhill and wrapped up well for the TFL.
He also blew up this screen pass. He did a great job following the receiver’s path, which made it impossible for the blocker to reach him. He actually led the blocker right into the receiver, which further doomed that play for a minimal gain. He tried swiping at the ball with his free hand but made sure he had one arm secured around the receiver’s waist to make the tackle.
We will have to wait for the All-22 tape to determine how he fared in coverage, but I didn’t notice any big issues in his 19 snaps played upon first watch.
The only issue is, Trice suffered a groin injury. They have an extra week before the regular season begins, so he has a chance to get healthy. If he isn’t then the Steelers will likely look for outside help after roster cutdowns to fill out the cornerback depth chart.
