Player: CB Cory Trice Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Just consider the progress Cory Trice Jr. has made over the past 14 months or so. He tore his ACL on the first day of padded practices of his rookie training camp. Fast forward to the second game of his second season, and he makes a critical play at a key moment. Never mind that his work during the offseason put him in position for that opportunity. It’s still very early, but I bet the Steelers are excited that they might have something here.
Anybody can make an interception at any time as long as they’re on the field, let’s be honest about that. Cory Trice Jr., however, happened to be on the field on Sunday, and he made the play. The Steelers were backed up defensively near their own goal line when he picked off Bo Nix.
Was it the most impressive and nuanced interception we’ve ever seen? Of course not, but it was still a good play, Trice showing good awareness and ball skills. The pressure from the front seven helped force a throw, but Trice capitalized on the opportunity.
And that is what Trice has been doing for the past several months on his way back from injury. After tearing his ACL in training camp last year, he spent much of this offseason rehabbing. But he kept checking off milestones along the way—first practice, first padded practice, first tackle, first game.
He has earned a prime spot as the backup outside cornerback behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson. Jackson got nicked up a couple times in the last game, allowing Trice to play 20 snaps. He finished the game with that interception and also made two tackles in the passing game.
Still, I don’t think the goal is to see much of Trice on the field this season. Unless the Steelers start viewing him as a dime defender, which I’m not sure is immediately likely, he will only play when there are injuries. The Steelers prefer safeties for that role, and they have worthy options in Damontae Kazee and Terrell Edmunds. Plus, don’t forget, there is still Cameron Sutton returning later this year.
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.
