The Atlanta Falcons are coming off their most demoralizing loss of the season, but help is on the way in the form of edge rusher James Pearce Jr. The 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate is back with the team after spending the first eight weeks of the season on the NFL's reserve/suspended list.
Pearce was arrested over the offseason for stalking his ex-girlfriend and attempting to evade police - which landed him multiple felony charges and an eight-game suspension from the NFL. Now that Week 9 has arrived, Pearce is set to make his 2026 season debut against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Last season, Pearce and fellow rookie Jalon Walker helped turn around Atlanta's pass rush with 17 combined sacks. Pearce led the team with 10.5 sacks, while
adding 16 QB hits, five passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
According to ESPN's Marc Raimondi, Pearce won't technically count against the roster during his first week back from suspension.
"The Falcons will get a one-week exemption for Pearce to be on the team's 53-man roster," reported Raimondi.
This rule simply allows the team to ease Pearce in without having to release somebody. However, the team currently has three roster spots available after cutting edge rushers Jared Ivey and Drake Jackson, and placing defensive end Samson Ebukam on the injured reserve list.
Jackson has since signed with Atlanta's practice squad, but we expect more moves in the coming days. Check out the Falcons' updated 53-man roster and practice squad going into Sunday's game against the Bengals.
Quarterbacks (4)
- Michael Penix Jr. (9)
- Tua Tagovailoa (1)
- Andy Dalton (13)
- Jack Strand (18)
Running Backs (2)
- Bijan Robinson (7)
- Brian Robinson Jr. (15)
Wide Receivers (5)
- Drake London (5)
- Jahan Dotson (4)
- Olamide Zaccheaus (14)
- Zachariah Branch (17)
- Chris Blair (19)
Tight Ends (4)
- Kyle Pitts (8)
- Austin Hooper (81)
- Charlie Woerner (89)
- Nick Muse (87)
Offensive Linemen (8)
- Jake Matthews (70)
- Matthew Bergeron (65)
- Ryan Neuzil (64)
- Chris Lindstrom (63)
- Jawaan Taylor (71)
- Ethan Onianwa (75)
- Kyle Hinton (68)
- Corey Levin (62)
Defensive Linemen (8)*
- Gervon Dexter (95)
- Brandon Dorlus (54)
- Maason Smith(92)
- LaCale London (94)
- Za'Darius Smith (55)
- Cameron Thomas (99)
- Zach Harrison (96)
- Charles Snowden (47)
- James Pearce Jr. (27)* 1-week roster exemption
Linebackers (5)
- Divine Deablo (0)
- Kendal Daniels (53)
- Harold Perkins Jr. (56)
- Christian Harris (45)
- Josh Woods (42)
Defensive Backs (11)
- A.J. Terrell (24)
- Avieon Terrell (12)
- Mike Hughes (21)
- Billy Bowman Jr. (33)
- C.J. Henderson (26)
- Mike Ford Jr. (28)
- Jessie Bates III (3)
- Xavier Watts (31)
- DeMarcco Hellams (23)
- Sydney Brown (29)
- Robert Longerbeam (37)
Special Teams (3)
- LS: Liam McCullough (49)
- K: Nick Folk (6)
- P: Jake Bailey (16)
Falcons practice squad
- WR Vinny Anthony (86)
- OL Kam Dewberry (61)
- WR Dylan Drummond (80)
- DB Darnay Holmes (30)
- OT Riley Mahlman (76)
- TE E.J. Jenkins (84)
- WR Antwane Wells (82)
- OL Josh Thompson (67)
- DL Zacch Pickens (93)
- RB Khalil Herbert (25)
- LB Brian Asamoah (41)
- RB Jam Miller (38)
- S Jammie Robinson (34)
- LB T.J. Quinn (43)
- DE Drake Jackson (91)
Reserve Lists
- LB Yasir Abdullah (Reserve/Injured): Designated To Return
- WR Beaux Collins (Reserve/Injured): Designated To Return
- OT Cameron Williams (Reserve/Injured): Designated To Return
- OT Storm Norton (Reserve/PUP)
- LB DeAngelo Malone (Reserve/PUP)
- DE Keshawn Banks (Reserve/Injured)
- LB JD Bertrand (Reserve/Injured)
- LB Jalon Walker (Reserve/Injured)
- RB Trey Sermon (Reserve/Injured)
- DT Anterio Thompson (Reserve/NFI)
- OT Michael Jerrell (Reserve/Injured)
- Da'Shawn Hand (Reserve/Injured)
- DE Samson Ebukam (Reserve/Injured)
The Falcons and the Bengals will face off at 9:30 a.m. ET in Madrid, Spain.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons' top edge rusher returns ahead of Week 9 game vs. Bengals
