One year after a disappointing campaign, the Atlanta Falcons are looking for some new faces to step up as they arrive for training camp. Michael Penix Jr. is one of the obvious candidates to turn things around from an 8-9 campaign as he steps into the starting role for Kirk Cousins. But there’s an even bigger storyline on the defensive side of the ball under first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
The Falcons made some key investments on defense, and two of them came in the first round of the NFL Draft. While Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker has a big role planned for the upcoming season, it’s the Falcons' biggest move that has a chance to become the story of training camp and make a massive impact in his rookie year.
Falcons Rookie James Pearce Jr. Could Become the Star of Training Camp
James Pearce Jr. became one of the biggest storylines in April’s draft when they traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to select him with the 26th overall pick. But general manager Terry Fontenot believed that the price to acquire him, including a 2026 first-round pick, was worth the price to pay to bring him into the fold.
“You know with trades it always gets to that point where you have to weigh out what you’re actually doing and what you’re doing it for,” Fontenot said via the team’s official website. “We look at the trade charts and all that stuff, but at some point, you have to look at who’s the player and what’s going to be. What are we really getting and is it worth it? That’s what you really have to do at some point. When you have that kind of conviction and belief in the player, then that’s when you’re willing to do it – and we do.”
Pearce was an elite player for Tennessee, leading the SEC with 10 sacks in 2023 and logging another 7.5 sacks in 2024. Those numbers are a dream for a team that had the fewest number of sacks in the NFL, and his athleticism is also tantalizing, running the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds and a relative athletic score of 9.40.
It’s another addition to what has been an overhaul at the edge rusher position. The Falcons signed veteran Leonard Floyd in free agency and are hoping for bigger contributions from Arnold Ebiketie and 2024 third-round pick Bralen Trice after the latter missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. While Walker will also have a role, Pearce is the one who could dominate camp if he uses his ability to get to the passer to seize a starting spot.
In the end, it could determine where the Falcons go this season and make their first playoff appearance since 2017.