Gerald Alexander watched the Steelers draft Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. in 2023; he sees how they’ve grown. Again in Pittsburgh following a one-year “internship” with the Raiders, he’s “extraordinarily excited” to proceed their improvement.
Though this can be a pivotal season for Porter, it’s no much less so for Trice, as effectively. Each are going into their third season, after which is their contract yr. Whereas Porter is taking part in for his legacy and a giant, fats contract, Trice is taking part in for a job. Alexander understands the place Porter and Trice are of their careers, respectively. He additionally understands the place they’ve come from and the place they wish to go. It’s his job to assist them get there.
“Clearly, I noticed these guys as pups and bought an opportunity to look at what their development was as I departed to go to my little internship in Vegas”, Gerald Alexander stated of returning to the Steelers to work with Joey Porter and Cory Trice, through video from the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette’s YouTube channel. “Simply to come back again and assist them of their profession the place they’re and proceed to construct and develop them at this stage, it’s a really thrilling alternative that I’m grateful for”.
When the Steelers drafted Porter and Trice, Alexander was a Steelers teaching assistant defensive backs coach. On the time, he served underneath Grady Brown. However the Steelers didn’t renew Brown’s contract, and so they introduced Alexander again to take over. Therefore why he jokingly referred to his yr in between with the Raiders an internship, performing as safeties coach.
The Steelers employed Gerald Alexander in 2022, drafting Porter and Trice in 2023. They solely had the younger cornerbacks’ rookie season collectively, however they’ve had time to catch up. Alexander’s historical past of taking part in within the league additionally helps, even when he performed security.
However maybe it helps that, like Alexander, Porter and Trice are each huge defensive backs. Alexander is 6-2 and weighed over 200 kilos. Porter and Trice are each 6-2 or taller. The previous is a little bit lighter, however Trice is comfortably over 200 kilos and constructing.
Having already labored with Porter and Trice, Alexander is aware of the place to begin again up. “These are the issues that we’re trying ahead to so far as constructing their technical, their elementary issues, and, clearly, their soccer mind as they’re on the market on the sphere”, he stated.
For Joey Porter, the most important subject in his profession has been his grabbiness, maybe extending from a insecurity. That’s one of many causes Alexander needs to hone his fundamentals, giving him one thing to lean on. As for Cory Trice, there’s not loads Alexander can do about his harm historical past. However his time misplaced on the follow area solely makes the basics all of the extra essential. Wanting faster and sooner whereas additionally being larger gained’t harm his trigger.
