What should the Atlanta Falcons do with Calvin Ridley?

It appears likely the Atlanta Falcons will get Calvin Ridley back next season after Ridley serves his one-year suspension for gambling on NFL games he should be cleared with one year remaining on his deal. Ridley will have to apply for reinstatement, however, this is likely simply a formality considering Ridley will have served a year and the league will have gotten its message across.

What happens from there for the Atlanta Falcons and Ridley is murky for a team already dealing with questions surrounding the receiver. Before the Falcons knew Ridley would be suspended for the season the team was rumored to be looking at a trade involving Ridley after the receiver stepped away from the team for most of the season.

Ridley stepped away from the Falcons to focus on his health and well-being it was a move the Atlanta Falcons and Ridley’s teammates supported as they should. Ridley’s timeline to return or if he planned to return to the team at all remained unclear throughout the season and the start of the Atlanta off-season.

Atlanta learned of Ridley’s suspension and broke off trade talks making the ethical decision they should be applauded for. Instead of moving Ridley with a possible looming suspension Atlanta operated with integrity and moved on knowing Ridley wouldn’t be a part of the team’s off-season moves.

Giving Ridley a fresh start outside of Atlanta when the receiver was ready to return to football seemed to be the best move for both sides as the Falcons entered full rebuild mode. However, now that things have obviously changed leading to the question of what will the Falcons do with Calvin Ridley next off-season?

Atlanta will have a better idea of where they are at the receiver position next off-season with a full year to evaluate Bryan Edwards and Drake London. The answer to the Calvin Ridley problem will present itself.

If both London and Edwards prove to be productive starters at the receiver position Atlanta should trade Ridley and focus on locking up Edwards. If either receiver struggles, however, Ridley has proven himself to be an elite second option. Pairing Ridley with Kyle Pitts and Drake London would give the Falcons one of the best receiver groups in the league next year.  Add in Cordarrelle Patterson on the final year of his deal and a veteran receiver in free agency and the Falcons simply have to solve the most important position on the field to become playoff contenders.

Whether or not the Falcons keep Calvin Ridley should depend entirely on how Atlanta’s current options at receiver develop this season. Having spent three years with Julio Jones Ridley has proven he can thrive in an offense as an elite second option. One Atlanta cannot afford to simply trade away if they don’t find another obvious answer this season.