The Atlanta Falcons are rolling into Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a seriously depleted pass rush, and it’s not even September 13 yet! Remember how the Falcons went all-in on improving their edge rusher room in the 2025 NFL Draft, dropping *two* first-round picks on the position? They grabbed Georgia’s Jalon Walker and Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., betting big on those guys to terrorize quarterbacks. But here we are, just weeks out from kickoff, and both dudes are essentially sidelined for the season opener. Talk about a brutal gut punch to start the year! This isn’t just a minor ding; this is a full-blown crisis for their defense.
Where Did All The Sacks Go? Seriously!
It’s a brutal reality check for the Falcons, who thought they had their edge rushing future secured. Jalon Walker, the No. 15 overall pick, put up 5.5 sacks in his rookie 2025 season. But then, disaster struck in early August: he tore his ACL in camp and is now on season-ending injured reserve. That’s a massive blow. But wait, it somehow gets worse! James Pearce Jr., the No. 26 overall pick, was even more dominant, recording a whopping 10.5 sacks in 2025. Now, he’s out for the first *eight* games of the 2026 season due to a suspension after domestic violence-related charges in February. You add up those two losses, and that’s a mind-boggling 16 sacks from last season just vanished from their Week 1 lineup. How do you even begin to recover from that kind of hit before the season even starts? It’s an absolute nightmare.
Who’s Left To Get After The QB?
To try and patch things up, the Falcons pulled veteran Za’Darius Smith out of retirement in mid-August. Smith will be 34 when the season kicks off. Yeah, he had nine sacks back in 2024, but he only managed a measly 1.5 sacks in two starts with the Eagles last year. He’s currently listed as a backup, even though ESPN is out here projecting him as a starter. Their actual listed starters at defensive end are Cameron Thomas, who only had 2.5 sacks last year, and Brandon Dorlus. Now, Dorlus did have 8.5 sacks last year, which is decent, but he’s more of an interior guy! They’re pushing him outside because they’re desperate. Other names in the mix for the rotation include veteran Samson Ebukam, with a paltry two sacks last year, and potential practice squad elevations like Zach Harrison (4.5 sacks last year) and Bralen Trice. It’s a real “who’s who” of guys who just aren’t Jalon Walker or James Pearce Jr., let’s be real. On the flip side, their interior defensive line is still looking tough with Dorlus, D’Shawn Hand, and Gervon Dexter Sr., who racked up six sacks for the Bears last year. But you know as well as I do, you can’t consistently rush the passer from the inside alone.
This whole situation spells a way more favorable matchup than expected for the Steelers’ offensive tackles in Week 1, who honestly have their own question marks coming into 2026. Troy Fautanu is making his first NFL regular season start at left tackle, with Dylan Cook or rookie Max Iheanachor lining up on the right side. Pittsburgh should absolutely be licking their chops looking at this severely compromised Falcons edge rush. Get ready for some potential fireworks on offense when the Steelers face this defense on September 13.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
Leave a Reply