Hype was building throughout the summer around seventh-round rookie cornerback Cory Trice. But that came to a screeching halt this week.
Steelers Depot’s Matthew Marczi reported Trice needed a cart to leave the practice field after suffering an injury at training camp on August 1. A day later, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced they placed the rookie cornerback on injured reserve.
Trice will miss all of the 2023 season.
To replace Trice and recently injured running back Alfonzo Graham on the 90-man roster, the Steelers signed safety Trenton Thompson and cornerback Isaiah Dunn.
We have:
• Signed S Trenton Thompson & CB Isaiah Dunn
• Waived/injured RB Alfonzo Graham
• Placed CB Cory Trice Jr. on the Reserve/Injured List @BordasLaw
Steelers’ Cory Trice Suffers Season-Ending Injury
The big-named draft pick the Steelers added to their secondary this past spring was Joey Porter Jr. But Trice performed well during offseason workouts, giving the team hope that it found two young cornerbacks in the 2023 draft class.
Now after his injury, the Steelers won’t get the opportunity to see Trice on the field for even a preseason game until 2024.
The injury Trice’s sustained was to his right leg. Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters it occurred during a non-contact drill.
In five seasons at Purdue, Trice posted 5 interceptions, 15 pass defenses, and 4 tackles for loss. The Steelers drafted Trice at No. 241 overall in the seventh round.
This was the second major injury the Steelers suffered since the start of training camp. Running back Alfonzo Graham tweeted on July 31 that he torn the labrum in his right shoulder, which will cause him to miss the 2023 season.
The Steelers waived Graham with an injury designation on August 2.
Steelers Add Trenton Thompson, Isaiah Dunn to Roster
The Steelers already replaced Graham in the offensive backfield with the signing of former Penn State running back John Lovett on July 31. So, Pittsburgh elected to fill the two available roster spot openings on August 2 with defensive backs.
Thompson went unselected during the 2022 NFL draft. He spent most of last season on the New York Giants practice squad. Thompson dressed for one regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. He didn’t play on defense but lined up for 12 special teams snaps.
In college, Thompson played 57 games at San Diego State. He recorded 191 total tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and 4 interceptions.
Dunn went undrafted in 2021. He began his career as a free agent for the New York Jets. He earned a spot on the roster and played in 12 games. He even made a start as a rookie.
Last season, he played five games for the Seattle Seahawks. In 17 NFL games, Dunn has recorded 10 combined tackles and 2 pass defenses.
Dunn played college football at Oregon State. He registered 115 total tackles, including 1.5 for loss and 18 pass defenses over four seasons.
TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter reported both Thompson and Dunn became free agents when their previous teams waived them on July 25.
They will battle for roster spots on the Steelers, who are missing a few of their pieces in the secondary this August. In addition to Trice’s serious right leg injury, safety Damontae Kazee has not practice because of a left ankle ailment.
All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has also not been on the field because of personal reasons.
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Steelers Receive Bad News on CB Cory Trice After Injury