Steelers cornerback Cory Trice Jr. was carted off the field at training camp after a run play that left him down in a heap. Now they have placed him on injured reserve, ending his season before it even started.
On the play, Cory Trice came in to fill the gap on an outside zone run. He went low to make the tackle and had multiple players fall on his legs, causing him to go down. Trice did not put much weight on his leg and was helped off by trainers. He was carted off in the back of the cart and left the field to go the locker room. Mike Tomlin described the injury as a non contact injury. The rookie cornerback had a promising spring and started off training camp hot before the injury. He will have to wait until 2024 to return.
Trice, 22, is a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The 6-foot-3, 215 pound defensive back was a longtime Boilermaker, joining Purdue in 2018. He dealt with significant injury issues throughout his collegiate career, which likely contributed to Trice sliding down draft boards.
He played just two full seasons, 11 games in 2019 and 13 games in 2022. He had three interceptions and 35 tackles in 2021 and two interceptions and 34 tackles in 2022. Trice had eight career passes defended from 2018-21, but broke out with 21 in that area as a redshirt senior in 2022.
At the 2023 NFL Combine, Trice ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and had an impressive 11-foot broad jump, to go along with a 35.5-inch vertical jump.
Trice is the latest injury in the secondary, joining Damontae Kazee as another injured player. Minkah Fitzpatrick has yet to practice after being excused for personal reasons. The Steelers will now turn to more of James Pierre with Trice down and injured. He has not returned to practice since the injury.
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