Steelers Analysis

Locked On: Is Cory Trice a Future Steelers Starter at CB?

Locked On Steelers Podcast: Is Cory Trice a starter of the future for the Steelers at cornerback?

Published

1 month ago

August 13, 2024

When Cory Trice was drafted into the NFL, he looked like a future starter at the cornerback position. A technician with plenty of length, he had tons of great college tape from his Purdue days, and it was only injury concerns that caused Trice to fall into the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, where the Pittsburgh Steelers snapped him up.

Trice looked great during OTAs and minicamp last season, at times out-shining fellow rookie, second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. Then, Trice suffered an ACL injury early in training camp that cost him his entire rookie season. When he returned to action this spring, he was still wearing a bulky brace on his knee and wasn’t fully cleared for contact until the start of training camp. Even then, it was a slow ramp-up to looking like the player he was before the injury.

In the past week, though, Trice has come alive. He played a sold half of football in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans last Friday, and has earned first-team reps with Donte Jackson banged up this week. He’s shine in those, locking down George Pickens and Van Jefferson in solo coverage. He’s also worked as an inside defender in the Steelers’ Dime package, adding versatility to his game.

Alan Saunders joined Chris Carter on the Locked On Podcast to discuss the Trice’s future and his potential partnership with Porter, plus the mandatory breakdown on the latest with the Steelers’ pursuit of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Alan and Chris also talked about how Coradarrelle Patterson can fit into the Steelers’ offense now that he’s returned from injury.