The Falcons are the latest team to trade back into the first round. Atlanta has swapped picks 46 and 202, along with the team’s 2026 first-rounder, sending those to the Rams. In return, Los Angeles has sent Nos. 26 and 101 to Atlanta, per ESPN’s Field Yates.
[RELATED: Falcons Draft Jalon Walker At No. 15]
With the newly acquired 26th pick, the Falcons have drafted Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce. The team has thus double-dipped along the edge. The team already added Georgia linebacker/pass rusher Jalon Walker earlier this evening.
The Falcons were reportedly hot for pass rushers heading into tonight, with Pearce and Marshall’s Mike Green frequently listed as potential fits. Things obviously changed when Walker unexpectedly fell all the way to No. 15, but the organization was apparently so enamored with Pearce that it swung a significant trade to add its second pass rusher tonight.
This will go toward addressing one of the NFL’s longest-standing needs, as the Falcons have been unable to generate a consistent pass rush in many years. The team also parted with its top rush presence, 10-year starter Grady Jarrett, who became a cap casualty.
Pearce is certainly deserving of the investment. The Tennessee product broke out in 2023, finishing with 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss en route to an All-SEC nod. He earned that honor again in 2024, finishing with another 7.5 sacks while establishing himself as a sure-thing first-round pick.
There have been some concerns about Pearce’s maturity heading into the draft, which probably explains why the prospect ended up landing late in the first round. The Falcons clearly believe their staff can get the most out of the prospect, and the team is likely hoping Walker may also coax some effort out of their second first-round pick. This trade comes a year after the Falcons attempted to move back into Round 1 for a pass rusher, after their shocking Michael Penix Jr. investment at No. 8, but could not swing a deal. Atlanta’s pass rush suffered, and Pearce will be expected to make significant contributions next season.
The Falcons finished with the second-lowest sack total in the NFL last year, so the team will be relying on both rookies to turn around their pass-rush fortunes. Leonard Floyd will be penciled in for one of those OLB spots, and the two rooks will temporarily compete with former second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie for the other starting spot. For what was once a weak position for the Falcons, the team has quickly turned their OLB corps into a strength.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Falcons making a strong push for worst front office in sports short of the Dallas Mavs
The NFL is not the NBA and Arthur Blank is not Miriam Adelson.
An extra 1st to get to 26? Pearce better pan out.
Terrible pick. Should of been starks. Starks and jessie bates back there would of been scary
Next year’s 1st Rd???? Blank needs to fire the whole front office and if he truly signed off on this he needs to be put in an olds folks home immediately. What an incompetent bunch of clowns leading this team. I didn’t think they could screw up worse then hiring Morris but they proved me wrong.
Atlanta’s in need of pass rush — Falcons finished near the bottom in sacks — and you think they don’t know what they’re doing?
This was a great first round for Atlanta. They needed pass rush and got it. People just hate Atlanta. For once, the Falcons got what they needed.
Everyone loves to hate Atlanta bro it’s insane lol I love our team now
Ive been a die hard Falcons fans since the 70s. Giving up a 1st next year when they giants gave up 2 third round picks. I agree they needed more help up front defensively but to throw next yrs 1st round in is insane. Morris is over matched as a HC and the front office is a joke and has been for years.
@Chucky- Poke is right, it’s terrible process. If they need to fill a pass rushing hole THAT badly, then take a pure pass rusher at 15. Trading a 2026 1st to get into the back of round 1 is crazy if you aren’t a highly likely playoff team, which (as much as I like the Falcons and am a Penix homer) I don’t think they are. That could be another top 15 pick next season that they just gave away for a raw speed rusher who may not even help them improve in 2025.
You guys are acting like they can’t get a first rounder back before 2026 lol this was a strategic risky move. Last time I checked nfl teams take risks to win games and get payoff. It’s not nearly as bad as you guys claim
Which would require them to trade more assets and that’s bad asset management, especially if they can’t get a first that would be higher than where their own first ends up.
Not every move a team makes will be a good move. Maybe this one will look better in hindsight if Pearce comes out guns blazing, but that won’t change the fact that it’s bad practice; however, it could potentially buy Fontenot more time.
I highly, highly disagree that this isn’t “nearly as bad” as claimed. This is the worst move of the first round. Luckily, Jalon Walker was an A+ pick.
No it’s not bad at all it’s just risky. Huge difference. Nfl takes risks to win
We’re going to have to agree to disagree. I don’t think there’s a world in which the 26th pick in a below average draft is worth a future first for a fringe playoff team.
One thing I can appreciate is that they’re seemingly all-in on building up the D to protect Penix from having to lead the offense to shootout wins in his first year as a starter.
a first round pick was too much IMO…but i don’t care we got 2 studs. Every year we hear how bad the Falcons pass rush is and we FINALLY addressed and still everyone complains lol
Facts people complain regardless lmao
People criticizing is different than people complaining lol
Nah it’s both haha
That much is true. I’m going to give credit where it’s due, though, not that it matters lol: the rest of the Falcons draft has been excellent.
Rams with two 2026 firsts. Can one say Arch?
That’s a bad value trade on paper for Atlanta. They could be picking top-15 again next year.
I like Pearce’s upside, but trading a future first to get up to 26 is absolutely bananas.
I’m in love again
I’m not sure it was a terrible pick, but it was a terrible trade.
Told you he was gonna go way higher than 32.
Happens every year with talented guys with character issues.
Ignore all the hate. Two excellent moves and finally, we have a pass rush hats off to management. Finally, we have a defense worth talking about. We will win the division with those two moves. And hopefully we’ve got more to come. Sure it came at a cost, but nothing worth acquiring doesn’t. Arthur Blank isn’t getting any younger and he’s going all in for this season. Falcons get an A+ on both players. After the Jaguars and Giants, I think they had the best first round maybe even better than the Giants. JMHO.
Pearce very well could come in and dominant, but acting like he’s a sure thing is crazy.
You nailed it, AB isn’t getting any younger. This was absolutely an all in on next year move. That’s why I think they keep Capt. Kirk as insurance for Penix.
Maybe but there may still be some tricks up their sleeves with Kirk. Also, we might trade Tyler Algier or Kyle Pitts to get some more draft picks so we’ll see what happens tonight and tomorrow.
My thought is the Browns are so stupid. Let’s take advantage of them some more. Let’s send Kirk their way for one of their two upcoming picks. Maybe they’ll foot $20 million of the bill too….. after the moves they made last night anything is possible! Then maybe we can draft Sanders and hold him in the air as bait!
Kids isn’t coachable and doesn’t love the game. He takes many plays off. Terrible pick- another takk Mckinney type player.
As if Atlanta’s front office couldn’t get any worse