Player: CB Cory Trice Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The Steelers finally opened CB Cory Trice Jr.’s practice window after he spent the past two months on the Reserve/Injured List. Although he is back on the field, that does not guarantee an immediate return. He confirmed that he is fully healthy, but then was limited in practice yesterday with a knee issue. Even if he is healthy, there are procedural moves involved. He also needs to show the coaches he is ready to contribute, which isn’t easy with three practices.
As has been the story of his career, Cory Trice Jr. had yet another injury to overcome in 2025. This one, however, was the most minor by far. It still resulted in the Steelers placing him on the Reserve/Injured List to start the season, but it might not have been necessary. Odds are that he would have been physically ready to play within a four-week window easily, if not sooner.
The Steelers really did that, I would guess, to “stash” him temporarily. Because if you’ll recall, they immediately designated him for return, which uses up one of their handful of slots. But they still waited more than twice as long as they needed to before allowing Trice to practice.
Now that he is back on the practice field, the question is when he will be available. Cory Trice is healthy, but he also hasn’t practiced in two months. Or maybe not, given that the Steelers listed him as limited yesterday with a knee injury. We’ll know more today whether that was random or a new issue to worry about. So far, the Steelers haven’t activated anybody from IR after just one week of practice.
One interesting variable is the potential to incorporate Trice into the defense. The Steelers haven’t used a dime look all season, yet they are one of the worst teams in the NFL in passing situations on third down. It seems they are overconfident in what Payton Wilson brings in that role. Could they have been motivated to activate Trice now so they could install him as the dime defender?
With the regular season underway and the roster in place, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of thatchange the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
After a long offseason, we finally know what this Steelers team will look like for the 2025 season. The dust is long settled on both free agency andthe 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re into the real thing . What final moves might the team make, if any? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
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