Now that the season is over, were taking a look at how Atlantas edge rushers performed in 2025 and what the offseason could hold for the unit.
Will McFadden
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Perhaps no position group had more year-over-year improvement than the Atlanta Falcons' edge rushers.
The arrival of Leonard Floyd in free agency, coupled with the additions of rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. through the draft, provided new firepower for a pass rush that produced the second-fewest sacks during the 2024 season. A change in defensive philosophy under coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, which emphasized an attacking mindset and blitzed at the second-highest rate in the league, created an element of chaos that allowed Atlanta's players to thrive.
The Falcons sacked the opposing quarterback 57 times, setting a new single-season franchise record and generating the second-highest total in the league during the 2025 season. It was a remarkable turnaround and created a new trajectory for Atlanta's defense, especially withUlbrich remaining as defensive coordinator.
Let's take a closer look at how the Falcons' edge defenders performed last season and what to expect in the coming months.
Roster Recap:
Offense:Qaurterback|Running Back|Wide Receiver|Tight End|Offensive line
Defense:Defensive Tackle
2025 production:
*Numbers from NFL Next Gen Stats
Standout stat:Pearce's 10.5 sacks were the most by a rookie since Micah Parsons' 13 in 2021 with the Dallas Cowboys. He had six straight games with at least one sack, which tied for the second-longest streak by any NFL rookie since sacks were officially recorded in 1982. The 26th overall pick had two games in which he took down the quarterback twice, making him the only rookie with more than one multi-sack game this season. Pearce had two sacks in the Falcons' season finale win against the Saints; the first of which broke the Falcons' single-season sack record; the second of which earned him double-digit sacks on the season.
Standout stat:Collectively, Atlanta's edge defenders had the 10th-best pressure rate among all NFL edge groups, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, generating pressure on 13.5% of their pass rush snaps. Per TruMedia, it took the Falcons' edge defenders 4.5 seconds to record a sack on average, which was the third-fastest time in the league.
Players under contract for 2026:
- James Pearce Jr.
- Jalon Walker
- Bralen Trice
2026 Free agents:
- Leonard Floyd
- Arnold Ebiketie
- DeAngelo Malone
- Khalid Kareem
Biggest question facing the position group in 2026:
How will they choose to replace the production they stand to lose in free agency?
Although Pearce and Walker grabbed the headlines for most of the season, the secret sauce of Atlanta's entire defensive front was its depth. By consistently rotating players throughout games, the Falcons kept fresher legs deep into the fourth quarter and could gain the advantage late. With Floyd and Ebiketie's contracts about to expire, however, they could have to replace half of their main rotation on the edge.
The Falcons could try to work something out with either player, who both still offer a lot of value on the field. But with Kevin Stefanski replacing Raheem Morris as head coach and a new general manager soon to be named, it's difficult to say exactly what the team will prioritize at this point. With the amount of promising youth Atlanta has in the trenches on defense, there are a couple of interesting roster-building paths it could travel this offseason. The Falcons could continue to invest draft capital at that spot, building around players of the same age like Philadelphia or Los Angeles, or they could choose to bring in more experienced players to mentor their two young aces.
A wild card in all of this is Bralen Trice, who has yet to suit up for the Falcons in a regular season game. The 2024 third-round pick showed a lot of promise in training camp as a rookie, but a knee injury in the first preseason game ended his year. Trice reinjured his knee just before the 2025 season and ultimately never made it onto the field. How the Falcons feel about Trice's health and abilities moving forward could also factor into how they approach adding to their edge room.
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