Rookie James Pearce Jr. has become Falcons’ bet that actually is paying off

They thought that pick would be much less valuable when they executed the transaction, but instead they’ve endured another losing season — they’ve racked up eight consecutive of such — and that pick now belongs to perhaps the best-run franchise.

On the surface, that’s a disaster. The Falcons miscalculated where they were as an organization, believing they were on the verge of playoff contention rather than in the midst of a rebuild.

So from the macro view, that was a failure. But there’s nuance here. The price paid might have been worth it because the acquisition could be viewed as a top-10 draftee in terms of talent.

This isn’t in defense of a front office that’s done plenty poorly and will rightfully enter next season on the hot seat (should general manager Terry Fontenot and company retain their jobs beyond this year). It’s an acknowledgment that this particular gamble might have paid off.

The deal landed the Falcons an edge rusher oozing upside in Pearce, who’s collected a sack in six consecutive games and should be at the forefront of defensive rookie-of-the-year discussions.

Your eyes don’t deceive you, that stat was accurate. A Falcons pass rusher has a sack in six consecutive games. That was previously stuff of fantasy around here.

Usually the individuals this organization would acquire to “fix” its pass rush wouldn’t even produce six sacks across a full season. The Falcons with edge rushers were the Browns with quarterbacks.

So Pearce’s immediate impact has alleviated angst about losing that premium draft pick.

“We’re seeing something borderline historic,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said of Pearce’s streak. “And goodness gracious, there’s so much more meat on the bone. He’s finding his way. He’s growing. He’s getting better every week. There’s still so much more out there for him. When this game starts to slow down, and he figures out the game and his own skill set, and his self-awareness goes to another space, he’s got a bright, bright future.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Pearce, with his towering frame and feisty attitude, looks the part and has backed it up. He’d irritated teammates in camp with his demeanor, if one recalls. He was at the center of the biggest dust up in training camp. And his background had been questioned throughout the draft process as he was off multiple teams’ boards. It was fair to wonder how his season would unfold at that juncture.

Again, some teams didn’t even consider him an option. The Falcons, meanwhile, traded a future first rounder to get him. For a franchise that almost always seems to lose its grander bets, this one looks like the rare hit.

Months later, it seems the Falcons have a blossoming top-tier pass rusher in Pearce, someone who requires defensive coordinators to plan and forces offensive tackles to astutely study. He’s an imposing individual who adds a level of ruggedness and nastiness that this defense sorely needed.

His presence is daunting for the opposition, even in his career’s ripest stage. It’s fair to deem Pearce the pass rusher with the most potential employed by this franchise since John Abraham arrived an already seasoned veteran (with respect to Vic Beasley’s one-year wondrous showing).

Rookie pass rushers often require patience as they undergo a massive adjustment from college, even if one was playing in the SEC as Pearce was at Tennessee. But Pearce has transitioned beautifully to the point it’s easy to call him a building block regardless of the chaos around him. He needs to develop to be deployed in a more expanded role, but he’s excelled at his current usage.

Pearce has eight sacks overall, most recently notching two in the Falcons’ upset victory in Tampa last week. He has seven tackles for loss and 23 pressures while logging 53% of snaps.

His sack total is comfortably higher than the next best rookie: his teammate Jalon Walker, who has 5.5. The next highest totals are from Nic Scourton (Carolina) and Mike Green (Baltimore), who both have 3.5.

“Me and James work really well together,” Walker recently told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Different type of games, different types of rush styles. It’s just a great opportunity to be connected with him not only just on the football field, but off the football field as well.”

The Walker-Pearce tandem looks like a hit. Consider Arnold Ebiketie led the Falcons with six sacks last season. Use stats, use the eye test; the pass rush is far superior to what it’s been.

The circumstances have been so dire around here that Pearce’s current total is the highest for a Falcon since 2019 (Beasley had eight sacks). During this playoff drought, the Falcons have had defensive tackles and inside linebackers lead their team in sack totals.

So when it came to paying the price to secure a bona fide pass rusher, it’s hard to argue against almost any payment. Now, Pearce wasn’t a sure thing as the decision carried myriad risk. But desperate times called for such measures.

And even if the move was made in part because of desperation, what mattered was the result. The hope is Pearce will continue ascending.

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

The opportunity cost remains to be seen. The Falcons’ departed pick is slated at No. 10 overall right now. They have winnable games remaining against the Cardinals and Saints, but for conversation’s sake, assume the pick finishes around that spot. This isn’t viewed as a strong draft, but there are always impact players found in that range.

This draft’s presumed best defenders — Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. — might not even make it to the 10th pick. Would any be as productive as rookie Pearce next season? Reese might be the best player in the draft as a linebacker-edge rusher hybrid, but he should be gone in the top five. Then there’s no guarantee Bain or Faulk end up better than Pearce is now.

Perhaps the Falcons could’ve turned that pick into more selections, but that’s delving into endless possibilities. It’s more reasonable to simply consider Pearce their selection.

He’s 3.5 sacks off from the franchise rookie record (Claude Humphrey, 11.5 in 1968). He needs two more sacks to become the first rookie to reach a double-digit total since Micah Parsons had 13 in 2021. Aidan Hutchinson, a superstar at Michigan and since a face of the Lions’ great turnaround, had 9.5 sacks as a rookie the following year.

Pearce has been a more prolific rookie than some recent high-profile draftees such as Travon Walker (3.5 sacks), Kayvon Thibodeaux (4), Will Anderson (7), Laiatu Latu (4) and Dallas Turner (3).

He needs to develop into a more overall-impact player, but the immediate returns in a limited role should spark optimism.

It’s also worth noting the Rams included the draft pick that became safety Xavier Watts in the trade. Watts, with three interceptions, has established himself as another core piece and has brought a similar tough-minded mindset to Pearce.

Indeed, the Falcons were wrong about their standing. They weren’t close to being a playoff team, and it’s often considered a sin to trade a future first-rounder if one isn’t acquiring a quarterback or a proven veteran.

But the Falcons seemed to gamble on the right talent. Pearce looks like a player that should have gone earlier than he did, even with the perceived off-field questions.

Remember that when the first round comes and goes in spring. The Falcons have a real force in Pearce. And sitting idle that Thursday night might be worth it after seeing what Pearce could become.

“I really feel like the process has improved from week to week,” Ulbrich said. “(Pearce) is starting to really figure out what a week is supposed to look like as a professional. Is it perfect? No. Is it where it needs to be? No, but it’s improving. And he acknowledges that, recognizes that, and he sees it. It’s been really cool and gratifying.

“I’m starting to see the fruits of his labor and our labor collectively as an organization, a group and a defense. I think he is absolutely just scratching the surface to what he can become as a rusher. It’s going to be fun to see him finish this season out in the right way because I know he will.”