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According to several reports, it is possible that the Atlanta Falcons have seen the last of Calvin Ridley repping red and black.
The Falcons have not heard from Ridley since October 31, 2021 when he announced he was stepping away from football to take care of his mental health. The lack of communication between the two parties is leading to speculation that the Falcons could be trading Ridley away.
“I don’t know everything that’s going on here,” NFL Network’s Steve Wyche said during a recent appearance on the Dukes & Bell podcast. “But for him not to service and for the team not to say anything about him all season long … leads me to believe that at some point maybe his side is like ‘he needs a fresh start’ or the Falcons might be like, ‘hey, we need a fresh start.’”
But where will he land?
One popular team that has been linked as a potential landing spot and trade partner for Ridley is the New York Jets.
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Jets Analyst Proposes Blockbuster Trade
In early January, Jets analyst Joe Caporoso was asked via Twitter if he would make a trade with the Falcons if Ridley were to become available.
In response, Caporoso proposed a trade that featured New York sending a 2023 conditional second-round pick, along with a day three pick to the Falcons in exchange for the former first-round wide receiver.
Since Ridley opted out for most of the 2021 season, his trade value has taken a hit, so a second-round pick, along with a fourth or fifth-rounder is the best Atlanta might be able to do right now.
After cutting his 2021 season short, Ridley played in just five games catching 31 passes for 281 yards (9.1 average) and two touchdowns. He has recorded a total of 248 catches for 3,342 yards (13.5 average) and 28 touchdowns in four NFL seasons so far.
The Falcons Desperately Need More Draft Capital
The Falcons trading their rising star receiver away wouldn’t be such a bad thing as they could use all of the draft capital that they can get to fix their endless roster needs.
The Falcons draft needs include, but are not limited to, wide receiver(s), running back, offensive line, defensive line, and secondary needs.
They currently have seven draft picks heading into the 2022 NFL Draft:
Round 1, Pick No. 8
Round 2, Pick No. 46
Round 2, Pick No. 61 (from Titans)
Round 3, Pick No. 77
Round 4, Pick No. 114
Round 5, Pick No. 152
Round 6, Pick No. 189
Only seven draft picks is not going to be enough to buff up their roster and become future playoff contenders. Not to mention that they are still dealing with a salary cap mess which means they won’t be buyers during free agency unless it’s a bargain and they will need to sell. The only thing is, the Falcons could use more draft picks for this year’s draft instead of having to wait until 2023.
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Jets Analyst Proposes Blockbuster Calvin Ridley Trade