The Pittsburgh Steelers have waived corner Cory Trice Jr. due to a failed physical, per the NFL transaction sheet on Tuesday. Trice was entering the final year of his rookie deal, but unfortunately, injuries have hampered him in a big way. Now, he’ll be moving on to the next part of his journey.
The Steelers have waived CB Cory Trice Jr. with a failed physical designation. #Steelers #NFL
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) May 12, 2026
The Steelers drafted Trice in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. He has a rare combination of size and athleticism, so there was a lot of intrigue surrounding him. There was hope that he and Joey Porter Jr. could grow into a solid corner tandem for the Steelers.
However, injuries have continued to hold Trice back. The best ability is availability, and Trice hasn’t often been available. He’s only appeared in six games in three seasons, and he’s dealt with a laundry list of injuries. That includes a torn ACL that ended his rookie year before it began, and multiple nagging soft tissue problems.
No matter his upside, it’s hard to justify keeping Trice at this point. That’s especially true with a new coaching staff in place. Patrick Graham places a lot of stock in size, so Trice is probably a player who, on paper, he would’ve liked to work with. Sadly, it seems like his body is still giving him issues.
That’s been the story with Trice since college, too, which is why he fell so far in the draft. He was a medical red flag as a prospect. He has more talent than the average seventh-round pick. The issue is seeing it on the field.
Trice didn’t suit up at all in 2025, being placed on injured reserve in August due to a hamstring injury. While the team designated him to return later in the year, his 21-day window to return expired, and he couldn’t make it back.
We’ll see if Trice clears waivers. He’s still a young player at 25 years old, so perhaps another team will take a chance on him. If he can stay healthy, he could be a decent player. When Trice was on the field for the Steelers, he made an impact, including securing a key interception against the Denver Broncos in 2024.