What Calvin Ridley’s suspension means for Falcons’ offseason plans.
The NFL has suspended Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley for the 2022 season for playing on video games through the season.
In a press release by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the league mentioned that Ridley took half on this exercise whereas away from the crew’s facility.
“NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the moment suspended Calvin Ridley of the Atlanta Falcons indefinitely via at the least the conclusion of the 2022 season for betting on NFL video games within the 2021 season. The exercise happened throughout a five-day interval in late November 2021 whereas Ridley was not with the crew and was away from the membership’s facility on the non-football sickness checklist.”
Atlanta already has a variety of must fill through the free company and the draft. Shedding Ridley is among the greatest losses within the league. Ridley was clearly the highest possibility for the Falcons. With Ridley now out of the 2022 season, the remaining choices outdoors of Kyle Pitts on the roster are Chad Hansen, Brayden Lenius, and Austin Trammell. In different phrases, nobody ought to be thought of a dependable various for Ridley.
The draft is subsequent month and the Falcons personal the eighth general choose. There are a variety of wants on the roster Atlanta has to fill, however now the group could also be pressured into drafting a wideout with its first-round choose.
Now, this draft does have a variety of depth on the place and, whereas the Falcons protection is horrid, choosing a wideout at eight just isn’t the worst possibility. Receivers resembling Treylon Burks, Drake London, and Garrett Wilson are viable choices, and should all be obtainable by the point the Falcons are on the clock.
Burks is a big-bodied receiver that performs bodily whereas possessing elite elusiveness and route-running capability. London is one other large goal down the sphere. Though not as bodily as Burks, London has confirmed to be versatile within the slot and outdoors, whereas being a crimson zone menace. Wilson is a really elusive receiver that may be potent all around the discipline. With this current information, Atlanta will in all probability have to handle the receiver place with its first choose.
One other route the Falcons can go, and one which I believe makes essentially the most sense, is to maneuver again and accumulate extra picks. The eighth spot is a chief place for a crew just like the Steelers to commerce as much as and choose a quarterback like Malik Willis.
As acknowledged earlier, this draft possesses immense depth on the vast receiver place, and there ought to nonetheless be choices that warrant a mid-late first-round choose. Chris Olave and Jameson Williams are names that come to thoughts at this place within the first spherical.
The Atlanta Falcons have the No. 8 choose within the 2022 NFL Draft
Drafting protection on the eighth general choose is one thing I don’t count on the Falcons to do now that the choices on offense are so putrid. The league is based on the offensive aspect of the ball, and with an motionless, growing old quarterback like Matt Ryan, having a go-to possibility is monumental. As well as, the Falcons are in a division the place good offensive play could also be laborious to return by with the dearth of quarterback play.
If issues don’t drastically change on the quarterback place for these different NFC South groups, the Falcons could possibly be extra inspired to construct across the offense. It’s one thing that has not led to a variety of success recently for Atlanta, however the quarterback panorama has not been as weak because it appears now within the NFC South.
With the wage cap rising, Atlanta is presently sitting with slightly below $4 million, based on Spotrac, with little room to maneuver. The Falcons might minimize Grady Jarrett and save $16.5 million whereas consuming a little bit over $7 million in useless cash. Ridley’s suspension might have trickle-down results on the Falcons’ offseason plans.
