NFL reinstates James Pearce Jr. after eight-game suspension: Why EDGE returns at critical time for Falcons — SkimNews
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- James Pearce Jr. was reinstated by the NFL on Monday, ending the eight-game suspension issued before the season and making him eligible for Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid; Kevin Stefanski said his playing time is undetermined.
- Atlanta Falcons activated Pearce to the 53-man roster and released Jared Ivey and Drake Jackson in corresponding moves.
- James Pearce Jr. entered a 12-month pre-trial program requiring therapy and six months without legal trouble, after his aggravated-stalking felony was reduced to a misdemeanor and an aggravated-battery-of-an-officer charge was dropped; all charges will be dismissed when the program is complete.
- Atlanta Falcons produced the seventh-ranked quarterback-pressure rate while blitzing on only 24.1% of snaps and rank 15th in pass yards allowed per game, all without Pearce and ACL-torn Jalon Walker.
- Jalon Walker and Pearce combined for 16 sacks as rookies, while Walker is out for the year with a torn ACL, leaving Atlanta without two projected top pass rushers.
- Atlanta Falcons surrendered 324 rushing yards to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without completing a pass in a 16-0 loss, while ranking 15th in rushing yards allowed per game and eighth in EPA per rush allowed.
- Atlanta Falcons are tied for second at 3-5 in an NFC South where no team has more than three wins, and their next four opponents—the Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions—are all in play for postseason berths.
Why it matters: Atlanta gains Pearce, whose combined rookie sack total with ACL-torn Jalon Walker was 16, into a unit already seventh in quarterback-pressure rate despite blitzing only 24.1% of snaps. Stefanski called his return positive for Jeff Ulbrich’s rush plan, while Atlanta’s 324 rushing yards allowed against Tampa Bay leave run defense as the clearest unmet need.
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