MADRID – Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is finally set to make his season debut, and the timing couldn't be more important for a defense searching for answers.

One week after being gashed on the ground by the Buccaneers’ rushing attack, the Falcons will face a fundamentally different challenge with Joe Burrow and the Bengals. This unit tops the NFL in passing offense and boasts one of the league's most dangerous receiving duos in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. 

Slowing Cincinnati's passing attack will require pressure on Burrow, making Pearce's return especially important. The Falcons have already been busy making space for their star pass rusher, and Samson Ebukam's hamstring injury has created an immediate need for snaps. 

What that impact could look like remains a lingering question. 

Pearce has been around the team for the past month but was only cleared to practice earlier this week. He's spent most of his time in the weight room and meeting rooms, raising questions about how much he can handle in his first game back. Stefanski said the coaching staff has a good idea of Pearce's capabilities but declined to disclose his expected snap count.

“He’s been working his butt off, and he’s super excited to get out there and help contribute,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said Thursday. “I think initially, he’ll probably be more in a pass-rush capacity, whether that be second-and-longs, third downs. But we’ll see. A lot of his conditioning and ability to play more will be dependent upon what he shows us as the game goes along. Thinking as we go in with a pitch count, but you can obviously change that thinking really quickly based on how it plays.”

Pearce led the Falcons with 10.5 sacks last season, marking the first time that the franchise had a player hit double digits since 2016, and he was an instrumental piece in this unit’s franchise-record 57-sack season. 

Without him, the Falcons have leaned on a four-man front to generate pressure. The unit has been effective (No. 6 in pressure rate, 40.0%) but has been less consistent at getting the quarterback on the ground (No. 14 in sacks, 18).

The pass rush has spread the wealth, with 12 players having recorded a half-sack or more this season. Veteran Za’Darius Smith (4.5) has led this group, but Pearce’s return would be an adrenaline shot. 

He was expected to build on his rookie on-field performance, but an offseason incident marred the first half of his sophomore season. Pearce was arrested in February on allegations of domestic violence, but a pre-trial agreement helped him avoid possible jail time. The league later suspended him for eight games. 

Since rejoining the team, Pearce has had an opportunity to rebuild trust within the organization. Ulbrich believes the young pass rusher has shown meaningful personal growth during that process. The two have been meeting once a week, and the Falcons defensive coordinator called those interactions “eye-opening.” 

“I think I’ve just gained appreciation for him as a man,” Ulbrich said. “I see a guy that’s really – he’s working his butt off to right some wrongs, and he’s working his butt off to become a better version of himself. I have deep appreciation for that because that’s not easy. And not everybody has the humility and the wisdom to do that. I feel like he’s made a real concerted effort to become the best version of James. 

“I’m just super hopeful that that translates to success because we all know that just that would bring that idea that I’m on the right track, and I’ve got to keep going on the right track.”

Pearce's return is unlikely to immediately solve all of Atlanta's defensive problems, particularly against a Bengals offense that can attack defenses in multiple ways, but his ability to generate pressure could give the Falcons a much-needed boost. After leading the team in sacks a year ago, Pearce will have his first opportunity to show what he can contribute to this defense in 2026. 

How quickly he can make an impact remains to be seen.