"Pearce overshadowed Walker to an extent with his gaudy sack totals, but aside from some struggles in coverage, the Georgia product was excellent in his rookie. Despite dealing with injuries that limited him early on, Walker proved to be a stellar run defender-one of a small handful in Atlanta-who added enough big play potential and pass rushing acumen to make him an excellent piece of the defense in 2025."
"Walker had 29 pressures-the fifth-highest total on the team-and was third in sacks. He flew to the ball against the run and missed just 5% of his tackle attempts, showcasing his reliability, instincts, and strength. And Walker tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles, making it clear he can be a nuisance in that regard as well. There are no red flags here to talk about."
"James Pearce Jr.'s arrested on very serious charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend, ramming her car, and resisting arrest means his future with the team is extremely cloudy just weeks after he finished 2025 with a rookie Falcons record of 10.5 sacks. Leonard Floyd, Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone, and Khalid Kareem are all free agents, leaving only Jalon Walker as a sure thing for 2026."
The Falcons outside linebacker group faces major uncertainty after James Pearce Jr.'s arrest on charges including stalking, ramming an ex-girlfriend's car, and resisting arrest, which clouds his future after a rookie Falcons record of 10.5 sacks in 2025. Leonard Floyd, Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone, and Khalid Kareem are set to become free agents, leaving only Jalon Walker guaranteed for 2026. Walker overcame early injuries to record 29 pressures, rank third in sacks, miss just 5% of tackle attempts, and tie for the team lead with two forced fumbles, proving elite run defense, leadership, and growth potential.
Read at The Falcoholic
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