Getty Images Calvin Ridley of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Cleveland Browns need a true No. 1 wide receiver and Atlanta Falcons standout Calvin Ridley is a solution the team is being urged to explore.
The question of the Browns interest in Ridley was posed to long-time Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com in her Q&A column. She was a fan of the Browns exploring the deal and seeing what it would take to put him in orange and brown. Here’s what Cabot had to say about a possible deal:
The Browns have been a safe landing spot for several players who need some understanding and a good support system, including Ridley’s former Falcons teammate Takk McKinley and defensive tackle Malik McDowell. If they do their due diligence and determine that Ridley is truly ready for a return to the game, it would be worth exploring.
The Browns let go Odell Beckham Jr. during last season due to some internal issues and have a decision to make on Jarvis Landry, who is coming off his worst season as a pro and is due nearly $16 million next season. The team does have young receivers with upside — like Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz — but need a proven veteran to lead them.
‘Fresh Start’ Could be in the Cards for Ridley
GettyFalcons starting wideout Calvin Ridley was inactive vs. the Carolina Panthers.
Ridley played just five games this season, stepping away after Week 7 to deal with a personal matter. Ridley managed 31 catches for 281 yards and a pair of scores last season. However, he has a massive ceiling. In 2020 he put together a 90 catch, 1,374-yard season with nine touchdowns.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo beleives that a fresh start and some new scenery could do Ridley good.
“I do believe that a fresh start could be in the cards and maybe the best thing for Ridley. It’s not a situation where he has any ill will toward the organization. There’s just some personal things that sounds like it’s going on and maybe a new location for him would be a good thing. So my educated prediction right now, this is a prediction, it’s not a report but it’s educated, is that Calvin Ridley is elsewhere for the 2022 regular season, but we’ll see how it plays out.”
Question Remains if Ridley Will Play Again
While the trade speculation is one thing, a whole different question is whether or not Ridley will play another snap in the NFL. While the Falcons will not disclose what Ridley is dealing with, they continue to support him through it.
“It really hasn’t changed,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said, per the team’s officialy site. “As an organization, we’ve done the best job we could to support Calvin and do everything we can for him. I know he made the statement when he did, and that we made a statement during the season as well. Up to this point, nothing has really changed.”
If Ridley does return to football, he’s under contract for one more season, with the Falcons exercizing his fifth-year option. After that, he’d be a free agent and likely due a pretty large number. Spotrac projects that his market value is around $19 million per season. If the Browns are intent on making a run at a Super Bowl and giving Mayfield more weapons to work with, Ridley would be a tremendous upgrade.