Falcons linebacker Bralen Trice was cut by the team on Sunday without ever playing a single regular-season game for the team over his only two NFL seasons in Atlanta.
A star pass rusher at the University of Washington and 2024 third-round draft pick, Trice tore his ACL in his very first preseason game and missed his rookie season before aggravating that injury again and missing the 2025 campaign as well.
Trice entered training camp as healthy as he’s been since first tearing his ACL two seasons ago. But while Atlanta is entering the season without edge rushers James Pearce Jr. (eight-game ban) and Jalon Walker (season-ending knee injury), first-year Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski opted to cut ties with Trice.
‘Bralen’s done a nice job,’ Stefanski told reporters earlier this month. ‘Looks healthy. Very disruptive, powerful player. Just continuing to bring him along and find his fit as well on the defense.’
Instead, Atlanta will enter the season with Za’Darius Smith and Samson Ebukam on the edge with Cameron Thomas perhaps seeing some spot action.
To his credit, Trice has not complained about watching his first two NFL seasons from the sidelines.
A nstar pass rusher at the University of Washington and 2024 third-round draft pick, Trice tore his ACL in his very first preseason game and missed his rookie and second NFL seasons
Trice entered training camp as healthy as he’s been since first tearing his ACL two years ago
‘I don’t see it as hard, man,’ Trice told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ‘It’s just been a lot of work, but I feel like I’ve grown through it all. I’ve become a better player and I’ve become a better person. On and off the field, there’s been a lot of different things to juggle, but it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed the work in the process and now I’m out here feeling great.’
The Falcons did bolster their defense before roster cuts by trading cornerback Clark Phillips and a fifth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for interior defensive lineman Gervon Dexter.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract and could be up for a sizable extension if he builds on the success of his first two seasons.
