If there was any doubt how highly the Falcons thought of James Pearce Jr., this was answered by the team's trade package for the former Vols edge rusher. It is a lofty price the Falcons were willing to pay based on the belief that Pearce will prove to be the franchise edge rusher the team has lacked for much of the last decade. Not since Vic Beasley's improbable 2016 season has the team had a valid reason to believe they had this potential. With this in mind, Terry Fontenot's costly choice to move up for Pearce is understandable.
Pearce's unique blend of speed and power off the edge will garner a familiar comp for Atlanta fans. Former Panther and current edge rusher Brian Burns is the perfect reasonable expectation to set for the Atlanta edge rusher. Not only do they compare athletically, but Burns was put into a similar spot in his first years in the league and still managed to be a consistent force. This is the type of impact Pearce is expected to have from year one.
Pearce Jr. must become Atlanta's version of Brian Burns to redeem an unfortunate trade price
Brian Burns had 7.5 sacks in his rookie season with Carolina, consistently flashing his potential. Considering the unit Pearce will be joining, this seems a reasonable expectation for the edge rusher. It is often years two or three the position is able to make the jump and flash their full potential. Despite what the Falcons paid to add Pearce, this must be kept in mind throughout the rookie's 2025 season.
With that said, if there aren't consistent flashes, it's safe to say Atlanta's defense will be in trouble and Terry Fontenot's seat will be uncomfortably warm. The Falcons finding their version of Brian Burns is the type of decision that would finally help a struggling defense turn the page from years of consistent frustrations.
This is a lot of pressure to put on Pearce; however, it is the reality of being a first-round pick joining an underwhelming unit. Watching how the pass rusher deals with the expectations will be telling, as Atlanta fans finally have a reason for hope that 2025's story will finally write a different ending.