The Atlanta Falcons factored in the uncertainty surrounding Calvin Ridley’s reinstatement when they traded the suspended receiver to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville would owe Atlanta a second-round pick if it decided to re-sign the receiver, which would be a reflection on his play. Rather, it appears that he will go undrafted, which means the Falcons would forfeit a third-round pick. Though Atlanta has a potential to win big this offseason, just getting paid for someone who wasn’t guaranteed to see the field is a success in and of itself.
The Falcons will have the chance to sign Ridley and will receive the draft capital from the deal if he does become available for signing. Must they try to accomplish that? Atlanta is in a good position to accept Ridley’s return. The X-receiver position is secured by former first-round choice Drake London, meaning tight end Kyle Pitts will get the majority of his work in the slot. However, this approach can greatly benefit from having a Z-receiver with both inside and outside ability. Ridley was a little erratic in the previous season. He found it difficult to run vertical routes and stay inside the boundaries. As the season went on, he saw an increase in crossing routes and found greater success. As a result, he was asked to add more routes to his route tree and moved throughout the formation. Interestingly, Christian Kirk, the receiver who absorbed those targets, was not there at the time of this. Although Ridley is a great playmaker who brings a danger to every level of the field, he will probably still be prone to drops. Even though it looks a little different, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson may be envious of the Los Angeles Rams offenses, which are at their finest when they have two excellent, diverse receivers.
This previous season, he caught 76 passes on 136 targets for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Ridley is expected to get a three-year contract worth $17 million annually. There is opportunity for a transaction like this as London waits for his paycheck and a rookie quarterback is (probably) on the way.
