Atlanta Drafts James Pearce? Big Deal!
April 28th, 2025
Checkmate.
Joe had a Bucs fan come at him on Twitter after the first night of the draft this past weekend, outraged the Bucs selected Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round.
“Who would you rather have as edge rushers, the Bucs’ edge rushers or the Falcons’?”
Joe just laughed.
James Pearce, who the Dixie Chicks traded back up into the first round to grab, is a walking red flag. He has all sorts of issues off the field. Word on the street is that Pearce isn’t exactly coachable, either. But here is the thing about Pearce facing the Bucs. Where is he going to play for the Dixie Chicks? Joe assumes right defensive end.
Ha! He will be going up against Tristan Wirfs twice a season, the best left tackle in the game. So Joe is supposed to be triggered by Pearce going up against Wirfs? Please.
Joe isn’t worried one iota about anyone facing Wirfs.
Yeah, “This Joe” will confess to was hoping Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht would have drafted a defensive tackle at No. 19. But Joe is more than happy the Bucs got this Egbuka.
Joe doesn’t give a damn what dude you put at right defensive end. Wirfs stands on the opposite side of the line, smiles and waves hello.
Good luck with that, Dixie Chicks.
April 28th, 2025 at 3:55 am
I was happy the Bucs did not draft him. Too many red flags with him from the get go.
April 28th, 2025 at 4:24 am
The Two we drafted might turn out better than the two they drafted. Doesn’t matter what round you draft a player. What matters is what they do when they get into the league. Brady was drafted in the 6th round. We got two good ones I think. And yes Joe, Wirfs isn’t losing any sleep over Pierce, Bucs fans shouldn’t be either.
April 28th, 2025 at 4:27 am
I would be happy with Donovan Ezeiruaku. Maybe moving up in the 2nd wouldn’t have cost us much
April 28th, 2025 at 5:09 am
Would not change a thing. This was a perfect draft.
April 28th, 2025 at 5:11 am
“So Joe is supposed to be triggered by Pearce going up against Wirfs?”
And thats if he and his posse manage to stay out of Fulton County Jail Joe.
I agree totally with our pick at 19, and I too would have loved Grant but…
I believe Licht when he said he stayed with his board BTW.
Go Bucs!
April 28th, 2025 at 6:04 am
Perfect article Joe, I agree with everything you said. I’m not worried about those falcons either, Wirfs is the best in the league and I’m so grateful the Bucs have him
April 28th, 2025 at 7:16 am
Falcons have 16 other games…..with no Wirfs.
April 28th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Pearce is to hard for the Bucs. Bucs like em soft.
April 28th, 2025 at 7:22 am
Falcon gave up a lot of draft capital to move up. I dont think it was a wise move
April 28th, 2025 at 7:37 am
Sr. Harry, Atlanta didn’t give up hardly any draft capitol unless they lose a lot this year.
April 28th, 2025 at 7:38 am
In fact, they barely gave up any draft capitol at all.
April 28th, 2025 at 7:55 am
Nothing wrong with Bucs #1 pick but for Joe to think that the Falcons getting Pearce is no big deal is Nuts. Classified as a DT at the combine he was .01 off the fastest time of All Linebackers. As a matter of fact he would have been the 15th fastest Cornerback too. I suppose Speed is only a talking point when Joe speaks of Bucs receivers?
He will fortify the edge as is fast enough to beat the blocks and get to the ball carrier no matter how many Pro Bowls Wirfs has.
On top of that he has the length to get up to and knock down the quick passes that Bucs have been feasting off of recently.
Randy Moss came into the league ‘Troubled’ and he turned out just fine.
All Pearce needs to succeed against the Bucs is the proper guidance and for Joe to continue poking the bear.
Unless these new receivers are going to morph the Bucs offense into The Greatest Show on Turf 2.0 Atlanta has taken steps to shut down the Bucs Red Zone Offense between the 20’s and other teams have too.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:00 am
We signed that 464 pound monster florida dt udfa yesterday bro is gonna be a beast next to vita vea.
April 28th, 2025 at 8:18 am
‘Word on the street is that Pearce isn’t exactly coachable, either’
Same think I heard about Hasaan Riddick
April 28th, 2025 at 8:24 am
I will show you why Wirfs ain’t worried about any pass rusher ,especially a rookie In 2024( 0 )sacks allowed 1st out of 140/Ts . Wirfs and Godeke are 2 of the best in the League. This coming season our Offense will be unstoppable . D coordinators will be pulling their hair out trying to defend this Offense
April 28th, 2025 at 8:44 am
I can’t tell if the Falcons are trying too hard to beat us, or if they finally realized they don’t need to — they just need to beat a couple more bad teams each year that they choke against. We’re not that hard to pass in the standings if they beat the mediocre teams, because you KNOW we’re gonna lose too many of the nail-biters and play down to our lesser competition.
April 28th, 2025 at 9:25 am
Yeah , the dirty birds may have Pearce, but we have a secret weapon – The tush push terminator from Plant City. lol.
April 28th, 2025 at 9:28 am
Red flags, the bottom line is we did not beat the Falcons last year, they got better defensively on paper, just like the Bucs did defensively, on paper. Either way, I do think the Falcons will compete with the Bucs, those DE’s may not get to Baker Mayfield, but 15 other games will separate the two teams.
April 28th, 2025 at 9:42 am
ATL beat us 2x last year.
We had Wirfs. They didn’t have Pearce. I doubt he makes them worse.
April 28th, 2025 at 9:48 am
Fred McNeil Says:
April 28th, 2025 at 7:38 am
In fact, they barely gave up any draft capitol at all.
They gave up next year’s #1 pick. I’d say that is giving up quite a bit.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
@SlyPirate
Wirfs and the offense wasn’t the problem. The first game Bucs scored 35 the second game bucs scored 26. That should’ve been enough to win both games. Bowles with his stubborn schemes on defense lost those games.
April 28th, 2025 at 12:33 pm
The two we drafted first aren’t as good as the two we absolutely could and should have had in the first two rounds.
I’ll say it: Drafting a new WR4 in the first round was a mistake. Not because he can’t possibly progress and be Godwin’s replacement in a few years, but rather because we had Ez-E (Edge, BC) in our grasp and let him slip when Edge was the biggest need we had, causing us to miss out on a few CB’s who may or may not be better, but are certainly healthier than Benjamin Morrison.
This isn’t an “F” draft by any stretch, but it certainly could have been better if only they’d have taken the BPA at the position of greatest need.
FWIW, I hope time proves I’m wrong about this.
April 28th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
Truth be told, Give our enemy the Falcons credit. They got 2 very good young Defensive players in the 1st round. I’m not about dishing on opponents for no reason. After all, they did beat us not once but twice last season. Just sayin…..
April 28th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
If there was “A” defensive tackle left when we drafted at 19, I am glad we didn’t reach on them. The elite ones were most likely all gone at that point unfortunately. I too however wanted a defensive trench dawg too, but you never can predict how the draft will fall…
April 28th, 2025 at 4:45 pm
I’d be a tad apprehensive about Lawrence Taylor going against Wirfs. Today, not so worried.
April 28th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
PS: And if Pearce is all “that,” the Bucs will line up their newly drafted 464 pound man-beast at TE to chip him.
That’ll fix him.
(Sarcasm folks).
Although….
April 28th, 2025 at 7:29 pm
Bucs fans that are serious about Watson need fo stop. He won’t take a snap this year if ever. Dude couldn’t even beat out two decent college DTs, what makes you think he’d take snaps from anyone? Dude needs a shrink, a nutritionist, and a major commitment from him if he is to ever see the field. It’s doubtful.
As for James Pearce… there’s tons of guys thag could fly and were stronger, faster, and more productive in college but they still turned out to be Vernon Gholston, Mike Mamula, Vic Beasley, Michael Johnson, Gaines Adams, Dion Jordan, Randy Gregory, Aldon Smith, or Manny Lawson. Red flags are red flags and Pearce is loaded with them. If the Bucs were really desperate for an edge and skipped Pearce, what do you think that means?
April 29th, 2025 at 1:29 am
Joe says this: Joe isn’t worried one iota about anyone facing Wirfs.
Thats real peace of mind and we are blessed to have the O-line we have, especially no changes from last year.
April 29th, 2025 at 5:52 am
Stop it Desmond Watson wont even make the team
April 29th, 2025 at 11:26 pm
Emeka does NOT make sense for this year, BUT it was a brilliant move by Licht who is thinking 2-3 years ahead. If you have a chance at an Elite reciever in the 1st round, you get him. He hopefully found the next Mike Evans for 10 years of reciever stability, he can replace AG14 if any health issues arise and if you pair him with McMillan and somebody good, we have an intact reciver corps for a decade. Good Move, Licht. thinking ahead!