Rival Teams Question Falcons' Price For James Pearce Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons executed what many consider the draft's boldest move by trading back into the first round to select Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce Jr., surrendering their 2026 first-round pick in the process.

Sources across the league view the transaction as a high-risk, high-reward gamble to address Atlanta's persistent pass rush deficiencies.

Pearce offers star potential if he maximizes his skillset.

The edge rusher was once projected as a potential top-5 pick during the evaluation process.

Several NFL executives expressed mixed reactions about the aggressive trade.

An NFC executive who spoke with ESPN voiced specific concerns about the price paid.

"What concerns me is they gave up a first-rounder for a player with character concerns," the executive said.

Character Assessment Critical to Selection Pearce emerged as a divisive prospect during the pre-draft process.

Multiple teams reportedly removed him from their draft boards entirely due to maturity concerns, according to ESPN sources.

The Falcons, however, conducted extensive due diligence on Pearce before making the selection.

Team officials spent significant time with him during pre-draft meetings and feel confident about his ability to transition successfully to the professional level.

A veteran AFC scout offered a more optimistic assessment of the situation.

"He's a fun player to watch," the scout said.

"Very explosive.

I think [coach] Raheem [Morris] will do a good job relating to him and keeping him on track.

He will need to have a plan for him.".

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