The Atlanta Falcons needed to upgrade their pass rush this offseason after ranking 25th in the NFL In pressure rate (20%) and 31st with 31 sacks. The need was a precursor to the selection of Jalon Walker and the decision to trade up for James Pearce in April’s NFL Draft and the Falcons signed Leonard Floyd to add some veteran experience for good measure.
While the Falcons have done a lot to bring in talent, they could also benefit from one of their younger players breaking out. That’s the hope for a second-year player that had plenty of promise coming into his rookie season but an injury prevented him from standing out during OTAs and could have him fighting an uphill battle for playing time this season.
Bralen Trice’s Rehab Continues to Be a Key Storyline Entering Falcons Training Camp
The Falcons selected Washington edge rusher Bralen Trice in the third round (74th) overall in the 2024 NFL Draft and they had a good reason to do it. Trice was one of college football’s best pass-rushers over his final two seasons with the Huskies, ranking first among FBS edge rushers with 70 pressures in 2022 and defending his title with 80 pressures in 2023. He also finished with 18 career sacks and figured to be a sleeper candidate for Raheem Morris’s defense in his rookie year.
Unfortunately, injuries got in the way. Trice tore his ACL during the Falcons’ preseason opener and missed his entire rookie season as he recovered. While the 24-year-old is almost a year removed from the injury, he spent most of OTAs and minicamp working with the trainer with an estimated timetable of training camp.
“He is at the point where he’s out there with our PT,” Morris said via Falcons team reporter Terrin Wack. “I don’t want to misstep with my words. He is with him most of the time. He’s doing a couple things on the side. He’s doing a lot of the running things. But definitely not at the ‘full’ category yet if we were doing some of those things. So he’s working his way back.”
Trice’s recovery is to be expected. While players usually pushed to return from a torn ACL in the past, teams have exercised caution to avoid long-term ramifications. Although Morris also expects Trice before training camp, he may be the forgotten pass rusher considering what’s happened around him.
Walker and Pearce both flashed during OTAs and minicamp and Floyd has served a mentorship role early in their career. That’s not to say Trice couldn’t still make an impact. After receiving first and second-team reps in last year’s camp before the injury, it may not take long to get back in the swing of things. With Arnold Ebiketie also returning this season, Trice could find it difficult to earn playing time if he isn’t ready to return by training camp.