Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cory Trice Jr., the team’s seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, lost his rookie season to a torn ACL suffered on the first day of pads during training camp last year. Trice is healthy now, and with the Steelers’ corner depth thin, Trice could play a role for the Steelers in 2024. Speaking to the media today, assistant general manager Andy Weidl said Trice should be treated as a rookie, but the team is excited about what he has to offer.
“I think it’s one of those things he’s gotta keep growing and getting better. He had his rookie season, for the most part, taken away from him, and I think you gotta treat him as a rookie right now,” Weidl said. “He’s really smart, he’s diligent, he’s got a great frame on him, he’s got length, he’s moving a lot, and he’s moving well. And his willingness to tackle, you saw the other night. So just a tremendous person and physically gifted, and we just want to see him growing each day,” Weidl said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Trice made a nice play in the team’s preseason opener in one of his 18 defensive snaps, closing on a screen pass to bring down WR Johnny Johnson III for a loss.
It was good to see Trice make a play, and he continued to see more reps as camp progressed and looked pretty solid. Behind Donte Jackson and Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers are thin on depth on the outside, and Trice could be someone who could make an impact and provide Pittsburgh solid depth this season.
It’s fair to treat him as a rookie, as he just went through minicamp, OTAs, and a few days of padless camp before he tore his ACL. His injury history is one of the reasons he fell to the seventh round of the draft last season, but as Weidl said, he’s been moving well and has stayed healthy up to this point.
His health is going to be a sticking point as to whether or not he can develop into a consistent contributor for the Steelers. If he can stay healthy, his length (he measured in at 6033 and 205 pounds with a 77″ wingspan at his Purdue Pro Day) is an asset to potentially taking away tight ends or working in press man on the outside. He might be more of a long-term piece for the Steelers, but it would be nice if he could develop into someone who could contribute to the team this year.
For that to happen, Trice is going to have to continue to impress in practice and look to make plays in the final two preseason games as he did in the preseason opener, but it seems like the team is happy with where he’s at.
