Its been tough sledding for Calvin Ridley after his 2021 season was cut short. In the two seasons immediately after the Atlanta Falcons traded him during his season-long suspension, he cashed in in free agency and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in two straight seasons, but the positives end there.
Ridley has spent the last two seasons rotting on one of the worst teams in football in the Tennessee Titans, but that soon may be coming to an end after he was held to just seven games, 17 receptions, and 303 yards in 2025. And his cap hit could be too expensive for them to keep him for another year.
Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine labeled Ridley as a potential cap casualty for the Titans, as they could save $13.4 million by cutting him before June 1. It's hard to cut the guy who was supposed to be Cam Ward's top receiver, but he's receiving elite WR money despite not producing as such.
The only glimmer of hope that could provide Ridley with a lifeline in Nashville is his connection to new Titans' OC Brian Daboll, who was his OC at Alabama. Some Falcons fans may not be married to the idea of a reunion, especially after the way things ended, but if he's cut, it's at least worth exploring.
A reunion with Calvin Ridley could be in the cards for the Falcons
Ridley just turned 31 so there's a chance that his best days are behind him. However, in the last two seasons he played all 17 games, he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and was one of the most-targeted WRs in the NFL, but the rapport with Ward was invisible even when he was healthy.
The Dirty Birds desperately need help at receiver beyond Drake London, especially since Darnell Mooney is unlikely to be retained. It's still likely they address the position in some way during the 2026 NFL Draft, but some extra veteran experience is something Ian Cunningham should look into.
The 2018 first-round pick used to be one of the best route runners and vertical threats in all of football, and that's exactly what the Falcons should be looking for in a WR2. They need more genuine field stretchers to complement London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts, since Mooney isn't that.
Mooney wasn't able to give the offense any sort of juice, but Raheem Morris was downplaying the severity of the injuries he was playing through. Ridley could be that player, but who knows how much good football he has left in the tank, or if he's even interested in coming back to where it all began.