Falcons plan for James Pearce Jr. to play vs. Bengals in Madrid
FLOWERY BRANCH — James Pearce Jr.’s eight-game suspension has reached its final stop, and the Falcons expect to have their outside linebacker on the field when they face the Bengals on Nov. 8 in Madrid.
“The plan is for him to play next week,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Friday. “We’ll see what that looks like.”
Pearce is eligible to be reinstated from the commissioner’s exempt list Nov. 2.
He was suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after being arrested and charged Feb. 7 in Miami-Dade County (Florida) for an altercation with ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson. The Miami-Dade State Attorney later charged Pearce with three felonies: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person.
Pearce is five months into the trial diversion program that, if completed successfully, will end with his charges being dropped.
“I’m very comfortable with the process,” Stefanski said. “I’m very comfortable with what the league has done in this situation. Very comfortable with how we’ve set this up and how James has responded to it.”
The 22-year-old Pearce has been around the Falcons’ facility since Week 5. Reporters first spotted him in the building Oct. 7. He hasn’t been allowed to practice nor work out with the team, but NFL rules allow him to meet individually with Stefanski, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and outside linebackers coach John Timu, the latter of whom believes Pearce is in a good head space.
Stefanski is pleased with how Pearce has navigated his monthlong acclimation period.
“He’s done everything that we’ve asked of him, everything that he’s been allowed to do,” Stefanski said. “He’s done a great job.”
Pearce will add a significant boost to the Falcons’ pass rush, a unit that enters Week 8 leading the NFL with 124 pressures while ranking seventh in quarterback pressure at 40.1% and tied for 12th with 17 sacks.
A first-round pick in 2025, Pearce finished third in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year race after recording 10½ sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits.
The 6-foot-5, 243-pounder blossomed into one of the NFL’s most promising young edge rushers. Now, he joins a Falcons pass rush that, by and large, has hummed quite well through a philosophy of four players rushing as well.
Stefanski said he doesn’t “see it as a challenge” to get Pearce acclimated and rushing in sync within the Falcons’ defensive front.
“I see it as a positive to add a good player to the mix,” Stefanski said. “I think the way ‘Brick’ and the defensive staff have constructed this rush plan, obviously married up with the coverage plan, I think it’s beneficial to all parties to do your job. But adding another good player to the mix is a good thing.”
The Falcons (3-4) will face the Buccaneers (2-5) at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Raymond James Stadium. When the Falcons return, Pearce’s suspension will be over — and when they hit the practice field next week in Madrid, Pearce will be present for the first time since training camp ended in late August.