When trying on the future defensive for the Pittsburgh Steelers a wild card is CB Cory Trice Jr. Drafted within the seventh spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft, Trice has flashed expertise, but struggled with harm which has saved him off the sphere for lengthy durations of time. There’s loads of uncertainty surrounding Trice coming into 12 months three, however he’s assured he’s on his option to being the most effective corners within the league.
“I will be the most effective within the recreation proper now,” Trice mentioned by way of Put up-Gazette Sports activities on YouTube. “So now I’m simply displaying up each day, simply working in direction of that…Be sure I do know all my performs, be sure I’m wholesome so I can exit right here and put my hand within the pile and assist the crew win.”
Regardless of being a seventh-round decide, Trice has a ton of expertise. The one motive he fell to date within the draft had been harm issues. Sadly these have turned out to be reliable. This might be a massive 12 months for Trice. He’ll look to remain wholesome and change into that elite cornerback that he thinks he will be.
It’s also clear that the Steelers suppose he will be too. Though Trice got here out because the loser in his battle with Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase final season, it’s notable that the Steelers even let Trice guard him within the first place. It’s one thing that Trice has been fascinated by typically, and exhibits the religion the teaching employees has in him to match him in opposition to arguably the most effective receiver within the NFL.
One motive to “purchase inventory” in Trice coming into his third 12 months is the mentors round him. After the Steelers signed CB Darius Slay in free company, Trice can have had veteran management within the cornerback room of Slay and CB Patrick Peterson earlier than him. Each Slay and Peterson are a wealth of data for Trice and he thinks it has been an enormous benefit.
“It’s been a blessing,” Trice mentioned. “Mentally, they’ve simply been giving us recreation. Like they simply been feeding us recreation nonstop. All people been open books, so any questions we had they might reply all of them. And so they simply good individuals, man. So it’s undoubtedly been a fantastic benefit.”
Having these veterans within the room is invaluable for a younger cornerback. If Trice can keep wholesome he can get hands-on educating and correction from Slay throughout the season, one thing he wasn’t capable of obtain from Peterson as a result of his season-ending harm in coaching camp in 2023.
Getting into 12 months three, Trice has a ton of potential to develop into a powerful beginning cornerback reverse Joey Porter Jr. He has the bodily instruments and has had the academics round him to be a sensible, savvy participant. It is going to be fascinating to see if Trice can keep wholesome and put all of it collectively. In that case, it might be an enormous assist when Pittsburgh’s future wants.
