The Atlanta Falcons' decision to engineer a trade with the Los Angeles Rams in order to grab defensive end James Pearce Jr. back in the 2025 NFL Draft is one that continues to haunt the NFC South franchise.
And it'll haunt the San Francisco 49ers, too, probably for years to come.
Atlanta's move a year ago ultimately landed L.A. the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 draft after the Falcons struggled to an 8-9 finish under then-head coach Raheem Morris, who subsequently found his way to the Niners as defensive coordinator after being fired.
Pearce, meanwhile, was solid his rookie year with 10.5 sacks. But off-field issues have clouded the selection, and it's hard to find any way in which Atlanta looks like the winner of the blockbuster trade.
With Los Angeles general manager Les Snead having no issue trading away his natural first-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for star cornerback Trent McDuffie, San Francisco's NFC West rival doubled down on its cold war-style arms race by grabbing a blue-chip prospect with a pick it shouldn't have had in the first place.
And said prospect could potentially haunt the 49ers for years.
Rams use Falcons pick to select Ty Simpson, making 49ers fans cringe
Already boasting a Super Bowl-caliber roster, the Rams opted to select quarterback Ty Simpson out of Alabama, developing a clear succession plan for the aging veteran, Matthew Stafford.
Snead already maximized L.A.'s roster prior to its first-round selection, and both sides of the ball were already elite heading into April's draft. That meant the NFC West rival's top pick from 2026 could simply be a luxury pick, taking the best player remaining after the previous 12 were selected.
Turns out, Simpson is poised to be a thorn in the Niners' side for a long, long time.
Additionally, one has to wonder if San Francisco tries to respond in what's turned into yet another hotly contended standoff within the division, perhaps forcing general manager John Lynch to reconsider his team's own draft needs and plans.
Either way, the 49ers can't help but wish Atlanta never made that deal with Los Angeles a year ago. It stings, and it'll sting for a while.
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