Cornerback Cory Trice Jr., who was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday with a failed physical designation, cleared waivers and is now a free agent.
Trice missed the entire 2025 season. He was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in the preseason/
He was making his return from that injury, and had the 21-day window opened on Oct. 29. But just two days later, Trice missed practice with a knee injury , and he was unable to recover from that injury in time to return before his 21 days expired. Players who are unable to return from the IR before the close of their 21-day window must remain on the IR for the rest of the season, by rule.
The team's seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Trice has dealt with repeated injury problems over his NFL career. He missed his entire rookie season with an ACL injury. Last year, he played in three games before a hamstring injury caused him to miss 11 contests. He finished the season by playing in three more games and made his first career start in Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals .
"It's definitely frustrating man, because I definitely felt like I put in all the work," Trice said last October. "I feel like I give the game everything I've got. I feel like I do right by the game, even when nobody's watching, so when stuff like that happens, I just know I put my best foot forward, so I can even really be too mad. I know I did everything I could, it's just one of those things, like, damn, they got you. I make sure I come out on top, though, every time."
Last year, Trice was placed into a competition with Beanie Bishop, Brandin Echols , Donte Kent and James Pierre for two roster spots at cornerback. After Trice was injured, Echols and Pierre filled those roles, with Kent also on the IR and Bishop clearing waivers and being sent to the practice squad.
Chris Ward contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Just-Released Steelers Cornerback Clears Waivers
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