FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Since the days of John Abraham, the Atlanta Falcons organization has struggled to find consistency in its pass rush. Since 2020, the Falcons have not ranked inside the top-20 in sacks. In two of those years, they have ranked last among 32 teams in the league. A major goal of the 2025 offseason was to rectify this lack of production and change the scope of the Falcons' pass rush.
Atlanta did so by using not one, but two first-round picks on pass rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft. That's a big investment, but the team has high hopes for Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. It's worth monitoring how quickly the Falcons can get these two up speed in 2025.
So, let's take a closer look at a position group that's fresh and poised for an intriguing year ahead. The unit needs better production, did the acquisitions made this offseason bolster it?
EDGE RUSHERS
Position coaches: Jacquies Smith (outside linebackers coach), Dave Huxtable (senior defensive assistant)
Returning starters: Arnold Ebiketie
Notable newcomers: Jalon Walker | James Pearce Jr. | Leonard Floyd
Rest of the roster: Bralen Trice | DeAngelo Malone | Khalid Kareem
Offseason departures: Matthew Judon | Lorenzo Carter | James Smith-Williams | Demone Harris
3 key questions for Falcons' edge rushers
1. What does Jalon Walker's role truly look like?
James Pearce Jr.'s role is crystal clear within Jeff Ulbrich's defensive system. By scouts' own admission, Pearce is a traditional Ulbrich-styled edge rusher that will have a specific role from the jump. He is exactly what Ulbrich was looking for. Walker, however? The Falcons say that role is clear, too. That in Year 1, they want Walker focusing on being an edge rusher first and foremost.
But...
Isn't the reason you draft Walker at No. 15 overall because of the versatility he brings? He was called a Swiss army knife at the University of Georgia for a reason. He did a little bit of everything a linebacker can, and did it well. So, even though the Falcons are focusing him in on being a more traditional edge rusher in his rookie year, how long does that last before we see Walker's usage evolving? Does it happen at all, or do the Falcons stick to their guns?
2. Can the Falcons successfully implement a by-committee approach?
The edge rushers across the league with name value are often the ones wracking up double-digit sacks year after year. That's all well and good, and of course the Falcons should strive to see one of their pass rushers getting to that number, but the organization is in dire need of a consistent pass rush as a team. As noted in the opening graphs of this article, the Falcons' pass rushing unit has left something to be desired for much of the last five years. It's going to take more than one person to change things in Atlanta. As such, it's going to take multiple people, multiple waves of this defense to alter the pass rush course. Kaden Elliss is just as important as Arnold Ebiketie in this endeavor as Ruke Orhorohoro is, too. That's not to mention coverage in the secondary. It all works and molds together to create pass rush opportunities. So, with this in mind, how quickly do the sack totals of multiple individuals increase to raise the floor? Because that's what the Falcons need in order for its pass rush to be taken seriously, consistently.
3. How quickly can Bralen Trice make an impact?
Trice was a rising star of training camp last year. After the Falcons drafted him out of Washington in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he was on many people's radar as he showcased impressive burst and physicality coming off the edge in practice. He particularly caught attention in the lead up to the Falcons' joint practices with Miami. By all accounts, Trice was on a noticeable and rapid upward trajectory. This author was even beginning to pencil in a starting role for Trice. That is, until an unfortunate knee injury cut Trice's rookie season out from under him. After a year of waiting on the sideline — literally — Trice officially returns to the practice field this training camp to pick up where he left off if he can. And that "if he can" is important seeing as no one truly knows exactly what type of player Trice returns as. That, and the position group is dramatically different than it was when he was last on the field. Where does he fit in? And what impact can he have?
