Third-year edge rusher Bralen Trice has yet to play a regular season snap since the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft. A torn ACL suffered during his first preseason game wiped out his rookie season, and a re-aggravated knee injury kept him sidelined for all of 2025.
And now Trice says those setbacks are behind him.
"I'll be the same, if not better," Trice said. "Just because I've had this time to really figure out how I want to be on the field, how I want to take care of my body, how I want to prep myself before games, take care of myself after games."
That confidence comes after nearly two full years of rehab and preparation, giving Atlanta hope that one of its most intriguing young pass rushers can finally make his long-awaited NFL debut-- and the erly returns in training camp are showing glimpses of a player we've been waiting years to see.
Bralen Trice has made an early impression in Falcons' training camp
The 25-year-old took some first-team reps during Monday's practice. Clearly he's wasting no time making an impression. But instead of viewing the lost seasons as wasted time, Trice believes they allowed him to improve areas many in young players don't fully appreciate until later in their careers.
"The health stuff never was an issue for me," Trice added. "It's just been about getting out there and getting the reps. We're at that point now, and I feel 100% comfortable out on the field."
But maybe the most encouraging aspect of Trice's return is that Atlanta doesn't need him to carry the pass rush. He'll inhabit a rotational role behind Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. (if he doesn't get suspended)-- he should split snaps with Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari.
The Falcons' defensive front set a franchise record for sacks last year, finishing second in the NFL with 57 sacks, trailing only the Denver Broncos, despite not having Trice available. Adding another capable edge rusher to that rotation could make one of the league's strengths even stronger.
Ulbrich has repeatedly praised Trice's mentality throughout his recovery.
"The thing I love about Bralen is... he's a guy that lives that strain, toughness, high-level process and execution," Ulbrich said. “I’m excited for us and, probably more importantly, for him to get out here and really show the world and, probably more importantly, himself who he is as a football player.”
Outside linebackers coach John Timu, who previously knew Trice from their Washington connections, also believes the young defender has handled the process the right way.
"Right now, he looks phenomenal," Timu said.
That's exactly what Atlanta hoped to hear after investing so much patience in the former third round pick. If the player Atlanta drafted in 2024 finally arrives in 2026, the Falcons' pass rush could become even deeper than expected.
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