Falcons Receive Major James Pearce Update Ahead of Mandatory Minicamp

Will the Falcons' star pass rusher be available at mandatory minicamp?

James Pearce Jr. could be present for the Falcons' mandatory minicamp | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are kicking off mandatory minicamp this week up in Flowery Branch, and one crucial component for their 2026 season is reportedly set to be in attendance. According to Justin Felder of FOX 5 Atlanta, second-year edge rusher James Pearce Jr. will be present after missing all of the voluntary offseason activities. 

“FOX 5 has learned Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. will be in attendance at mandatory minicamp this week. Team spokesman says they cannot confirm at this time,” Felder wrote in a social media post on X. 

Pearce is already up in the Atlanta area, based on social media posts about his offseason workouts at Norcross High School. 

After a February arrest for allegations of domestic violence, among other items, Pearce has been away from the Falcons. However, Pearce and the prosecution reportedly agreed to a 12-month pretrial program, which would help him avoid court and any potential jail time. 

While he may avoid incarceration through this program, there will likely still be some form of punishment from the NFL office for conduct detrimental to the league. Until the extent of that suspension is made public, the Falcons are left in a holding pattern for their star pass rusher. 

At whichever point he does return to the field, Pearce will be an important piece of the Falcons’ defense that had a record-setting year for the team’s pass rush. He led the team and all NFL rookies in sacks last season (10.5). 

Jeff Ulbrich was asked during organized team activities about how he has worked with his pass rush in Pearce’s absence. 

“There are so many things that are always in play at this level, so it's just [about] the guys that are here today, the guys that we're gonna ride with, and develop and feature in the right ways,” Jeff Ulbrich said about elevating the group rather than focusing on the individual. “We're just going to coach the guys that we have as best we can, featuring the best we can, and we'll go from there.” 

This most recent report indicates that the Falcons could have their top pass rusher back for the first time under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. 

Media viewing of the team’s mandatory minicamp is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17, at Falcons headquarters. After the Falcons finish this period, they will wrap up offseason activities for the summer, and the next checkpoint is training camp in July. 

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