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It’s the time of year where the Atlanta Falcons have a lot of decisions to make, including whether or not they’ll be picking up wide receiver Calvin Ridley‘s fifth-year option.
According to Ridley, he’s ready for much more than that. Dave Choate of the Falcoholic wrote a piece of whether or not the Falcons should pick up Ridley’s option and if caught the third-year receiver’s attention.
“Might as well extend, I’m ready lol,” Ridley replied on Twitter.
@TheFalcoholic Might as well extend I’m ready lol
To make it better, Falcons running back Todd Gurley replied in full support:
@CalvinRidley1 @TheFalcoholic Yessirr Brodie earned and deserved those bread sticks, no worries it’s coming soon….
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Ridley Reached His Goal This Past Season
During his 2019 campaign, Ridley was showcasing an impressive season before he was placed on the injured reserve near the end of the season. He finished reeling in 63 catches for 866 yards and seven touchdowns over a span of 13 games and 10 starts.
He expected to reach 1,000 yards that season but he didn’t. So, he made it a goal of his to do so in 2020.
“Last year, I was right there,” Ridley said prior to the start of the 2020 season, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I got hurt three games out. I was going to get 1,000 yards last year. I got hurt and I’m in the hospital that same day, my agent came. I said, ‘Man, I would have got 1,000, but I’m out for the year and I don’t have that 1,000.’ Now, I have to get it.”
And Ridley did. He ended the 2020 season playing in all but one game and posted 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns.
Ridley was forced to step up after Julio Jones struggled with a hamstring all season long.
Over three seasons in the league, Ridley has 217 receptions, 3,061 yards, and 26 touchdowns and proved the Falcons passing game is still top-notch without Jones as the No. 1 option, making a strong case as to why the Falcons need to lock him up for the long run.
What About Re-Newing Todd Gurley’s Deal?
Once again, the Falcons relied heavily on their passing game with the ground game almost non-existent even after signing veteran All-Pro running back Todd Gurley.
Gurley signed with Atlanta last offseason on a one-year deal worth more than $5 million. Gurley failed to live up to the hype and finished the season with 195 carries for 678 yards and 9 touchdowns. Near the end of the season, Gurley even lost his job to backups Ito Smith and Brian Hill.
Obviously, the final call is up to Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot but if I were them, I might want to keep Gurley on the roster for another year to see what Smith can do with him but for a lesser dollar amount, which shouldn’t be too hard to get since he didn’t live up to his expectations.
On top of that, Atlanta should look to the 2021 NFL draft for a young quarterback to add to the roster, especially if Alabama’s Najee Harris is up for grabs.
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Falcons WR Calvin Ridley ‘Ready’ for Extension