Career Of Promising Steelers Defender May Now Be Over

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always taken a lot of pride in drafting and then developing players. That kind of philosophy has changed a bit under General Manager Omar Khan, but the organization still does what it can to ensure that individuals’ second contracts are being inked in the Steel City, as opposed to elsewhere. Regardless if someone is a first-round pick, seventh-round selection, or even an undrafted free agent, the goal is to mold them into quality NFL players. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for everyone, and injuries are a big reason as to why some guys can simply never blossom.

A very intriguing area for the Steelers in 2025 has been the cornerback position. The inconsistencies that have come from the group can be labeled as startling; however, a lot changed once Pittsburgh moved Jalen Ramsey to safety full-time. The defense has played much better with that adjustment, and the recent emergence of James Pierre has certainly helped as well.

In the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Khan and co. made the decision to draft Purdue University‘s Cory Trice Jr. The cornerback had a lot of pre-draft hype, but ended up falling all the way to the Steelers with the 241st overall selection. It was originally believed that he had the potential to later on be viewed as a “steal”, but that has not worked out for the defender.

Trice has battled injuries throughout his professional career. Most notably, he missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn ACL. That paired with hamstring and other knee ailments have really held him back. He has been on Injured Reserve (IR) since August of 2025 and even though his 21-day window opened weeks ago, he will not be returning, which means his season is now over.

For Trice, it’s sad how his career has transpired to this point. Pittsburgh has given him several chances to stay healthy and on the field, but it just hasn’t been the case. As a seventh-round pick, it’s not going to be surprising if the Steelers part ways with him come January. Due to his injury history, it’s extremely possible that he never plays a down in the NFL again. He could have developed in the Steel City, but his durability has certainly affected his career trajectory.

Even if Trice does make his way back, it’s unlikely that the decision-makers in Pittsburgh will give the cornerback another opportunity. It’s probably better to invest in another young defender who could emerge in the secondary. Khan and co. are projected to have over 10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, which should lead one to believe that selecting someone to replace Trice will be relatively easy.

At 6’3″ and over 200 pounds, Trice has a very impressive body type for a cornerback. He has the traits to be a physical corner that makes it tough for wide receivers to get off the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately for all parties involved, his stint has not worked out in the Steel City. Even more important for the former Boilermaker is that he may not be getting another opportunity at the professional level because he has barely any film to show, and a lot of injuries to answer for.

Regardless of what the end result is for Trice, he hasn’t played enough to make the fans in Pittsburgh miss him. The team has done fine with him on IR, and that will make it a little bit easier for the front office to part ways with the once-promising defender. At some point, availability is the best trait a seventh-round pick can have, and Trice just hasn’t had it. The hope is for him to get another opportunity elsewhere, but that’s not a guarantee because of how the last three years have went for him.

Do you think that the Steelers will release Trice and his career could be over? Let us know in the comments below!