FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons’ commitment to boosting their pass rush was on full display Friday as their three-day rookie minicamp opened with edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. — each taken in the first round of last month’s NFL draft — on the practice field.
Prior to the draft, veteran free agent Leonard Floyd also was added on the edge of the defense to boost an area that has been a persistent weak spot for the team.
Atlanta finished next-to-last in sacks in 2024. It marked the third time in the past four years the Falcons ranked in the bottom two in the NFL in that category.
“I get beat up all year about not getting sacks, and that’s got to change,” Atlanta second-year head coach Raheem Morris said Friday. “And the only way you can change that is to change that. And that was a part of the process. Very intentional, going out and trying to fix the edge room.”
After selecting Walker from the University of Georgia at No. 15 overall, the Falcons traded back into the first round to take the University of Tennessee’s Pearce at No. 26. The Falcons sent the Los Angeles Rams their 2026 first-round pick as well as second-round and seventh-round selections in this year’s draft. The Falcons also obtained a third-round selection from the Rams and then made another deal, moving up in the third round, to select Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts.
On Friday, the Falcons announced Walker, Watts, defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (a fourth-round pick) and offensive tackle Jack Nelson (a seventh-round pick) had signed their rookie contracts.
The Falcons received criticism from some fans and members of the media for giving up too much to get Pearce after signing Floyd and drafting Walker, but Morris said Friday that “it’s very intentional to go out and fix our rush to find … pressure players.”
Morris said it was important for Atlanta “to be able to add three guys that were not here last year that you expect to have significant roles in your pass rush and your pressure players.”
The Falcons went 8-9 last season, their seventh consecutive losing record. Their most recent playoff appearance came in the 2017 season, a year after they reached the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history but also lost for the second time.
The Falcons had 41 players at the minicamp Friday, with five draft picks joining undrafted free agents and players in camp on a tryout basis.