According to Fox 5, Falcons star pass rusher James Pearce Jr. will be in attendance at mandatory minicamp this week.

James Pearce will reportedly be at #Falcons mandatory minicamp this week, per FOX 5 Atlanta.

— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) June 15, 2026

In late May, it was reported that the charges against James Pearce Jr. would all be dismissed if he completed a 12-month pre-trial diversion program that includes counseling, drug-testing, and no contact with the victim in the case — his ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson.

“Overall, it is the best possible result we could have imagined here,” Pearce’s lawyer Yale Sanford said. “It speaks to the willingness of the state to give him the opportunity. I think that’s an extreme win for us, and especially for James. It allows him to focus on himself and his family and getting back on the football field.”

Legally, Pearce has been given a second chance that most people in his situation would never be afforded. As long as he stays out of trouble over the next 12 months, this should be firmly in the rearview mirror.

The league will still have its say, however. Because the charges were dropped and nobody was physically harmed in the incident, there’s precedent for a significantly lighter suspension than anyone could have anticipated a few months ago. The fact that he’s expected to attend mandatory minicamp suggests the Falcons are counting on him to play.

Pearce is coming off a campaign Falcons fans have been dreaming about for decades — a franchise-record 10.5 sacks as a rookie, making him arguably the most important piece of a pass rush that finished second in the league in sacks. That was something absolutely nobody saw coming given Atlanta’s recent history of getting after the quarterback.

Without Pearce in the fold, the Falcons defensive line leaves a lot to be desired. With him, and it feels like the potential upside of this group is endless. That’s how vital he is to the team’s overall success in 2026.

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(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)