Talented cornerback makes triumphant return to Steelers training camp

Perhaps the most exciting news to come out of Steelers training camp after the first day of practice was the sighting of Cory Trice practicing without a knee brace. This is a significant development as it indicates his full recovery from the ACL injury that sidelined him in 2023. His return comes at an opportune time, given the challenges the Steelers might have at the cornerback position early in the 2024 season.

The Steelers had high expectations in 2023. He was a late-round draft choice, which everyone thought was a steal because many projections initially had him going off the board as a much higher draft choice. However, players with previous knee injuries in college always seem to have a risk factor, and in this case, Trice tore his ACL early in the Steelers 2023 training camp, wiping out his season.

He has finally returned to practice, and if all goes well, we will see him in action in the first Steelers pre-season game. While there may be some open-ended questions regarding Trice, he has a tremendous opportunity to rise to the occasion for the Steelers.

How Cory Trice's return helps the Steelers

Earlier in this year's free agency period, Cam Sutton found himself in legal jeopardy, which led to the Lions severing his contract. After reviewing his situation, the Steelers subsequently signed him to a one-year deal with the risk of a potential suspension for Sutton violating league conduct. The NFL precisely did just that, suspending Sutton for the season's first eight games.

There has been much speculation about how that might affect the Steelers, given they had cut Patrick Peterson earlier and are still thin at the position even with Joey Porter Jr. and without any other free-agent signings or draft picks. Well, perhaps Trice is the answer.

With Sutton set to return by week 9, the Steelers face the challenge of making their secondary work for half the season. However, if Trice can make a full recovery and contribute with significant plays, the temporary loss of Sutton may have minimal impact on the Steelers' secondary, leaving room for optimism.

While there is hope for Trice's recovery, it's important to remember that there are inherent risks when relying on a player returning from a knee injury. While some players have made full recoveries from ACL tears, many others have not. All players can not emulate John Elway and play an entire career without an ACL.

The question here is, what will we get with Cory Trice? Will his speed measure up to what he had before the ACL injury? That's the biggest question.

It's doubtful the injury impacts his defensive skills, but skill is no substitute for speed at the cornerback position. If you don't believe that, ask Artie 'third degree' Burns, an aptly named cornerback who typically got roasted by opposing wide receivers in the Steelers secondary.