The Atlanta Falcons’ 2025 season hasn’t gone the way many had hoped. At 4-8 heading into Week 14, they’re firmly out of the playoff picture and searching for answers on offense. But amid the frustrations, there’s been a silver lining - and it’s coming off the edge.
Rookie pass rushers James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker have been one of the few consistent bright spots for this Falcons defense. And on Sunday against the Seahawks, Pearce continued his breakout campaign, notching a sack for the fifth straight game - a streak that puts him in elite rookie company.
To put that into perspective: the last rookie to post a sack in five consecutive games was Micah Parsons back in 2021. That's not just a stat - that’s a statement. Pearce is the first rookie in Falcons history to pull off that feat, and it’s the kind of production that turns heads around the league.
Heading into the game, Pearce was tied with Ed Oliver for the second-longest active sack streak in the NFL. Now, with five straight games in the books, he’s tied with fellow Falcon Brandon Dorlus for the team lead in sacks this season (6.0).
That’s impressive for any player - but for a rookie? It’s a sign that Atlanta may have found a foundational piece for its pass rush.
And he’s not doing it alone. Jalon Walker, the other first-round edge rusher Atlanta selected in 2025, has been making noise himself.
The Falcons took Pearce just eight picks after Walker in a bold draft-day maneuver - a move that saw GM Terry Fontenot trade back into the first round to grab Pearce. That aggressive play is already showing signs of paying off on the field.
Pearce and Walker are pushing each other, producing at a high level, and giving Atlanta a young, dynamic duo off the edge.
But there’s a catch - and it’s a big one.
The last rookie to have a sack in five straight games was Micah Parsons in 2021. Good company for James Pearce Jr. He's the first Falcons rookie ever to have this stat. https://t.co/pq5SPrfevl
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) December 7, 2025
To land Pearce, Fontenot sent the team’s 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams. With the Falcons sitting at 4-8 and still trying to find their identity, that pick is trending toward being a top-10 selection. That’s the kind of draft capital that can reshape a franchise, and it’s now in the Rams’ hands.
So the question becomes: was the move worth it?
If Pearce continues on this trajectory - racking up sacks, disrupting quarterbacks, and anchoring a defense that’s clawing its way back to relevance - the answer might be yes. Atlanta hasn’t had a top-10 defense since 2017, but this year’s unit, currently ranked 16th in points allowed and 14th in yards, is showing signs of turning the corner. And that turnaround is being led by two rookies who look like they belong.
The Falcons may not be winning games right now, but they’re winning something just as important for a rebuilding team: the battle for the future. And with Pearce and Walker leading the charge, that future is starting to take shape.