Calvin Ridley isn’t playing for the Falcons in 2022, and he won’t be playing for them in 2023 either.
The Falcons have traded Ridley just an hour before the 2022 NFL trade deadline in one of the more surprising moves of the day. He will be heading to the Jaguars, who are sending two future picks to the Falcons as part of the deal.
A Ridley trade wasn’t expected before the deadline, as he was suspended for the 2022 NFL season for violating the league’s gambling policy. He is eligible to apply for reinstatement during the offseason, but it was presumed that a trade might wait until teams were sure of his status.
MORE: Calvin Ridley’s gambling suspension, explained
Instead, the Jaguars are taking a chance that Ridley will be able to return to the field in 2023. Meanwhile, the Falcons had already explored trading Ridley before they knew of his suspension. Now, they are moving on from him as Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot continue to build the team in their preferred manner.
The Ridley trade is a complex one, and it contains within it many provisions to mitigate the risk that the Jaguars are taking. Below is a run-down of the trade and the conditions which will affect each pick traded.
NFL TRADE GRADES: Why the Jaguars fleeced the Falcons in the Calvin Ridley trade
Calvin Ridley trade details
Jaguars receive:
- WR Calvin Ridley
Falcons receive:
- 2023 fifth-round pick
- Conditional 2024 fourth-round pick
On paper, this deal looks like it could be a steal for the Jaguars. After all, they are acquiring Ridley, who was a true No. 1 receiver in the Falcons offense before he left the team midway through the 2021 season to deal with some mental health concerns.
MORE: Why Calvin Ridley stepped away from the Falcons
Ridley had just 31 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns in five games during the 2021 season, but in 2020, he notched career-best marks in catches (90) and receiving yards (1,374) with nine touchdowns. He turns 28 in December, so he could still be in the prime of his career when he returns to the field.
The concern will be about how well Ridley plays at that point. He will have not played a game in roughly two years when Week 1 of the 2023 season rolls around, so it may take him time to readjust as he works his way back into the NFL. That is if he is even reinstated for the start of next season.
Still, the Jaguars will only surrender a couple of Day 3 picks if that happens. So, it’s a worthwhile risk for them as they search for a true No. 1 receiver to pair with Trevor Lawrence.
As for the Falcons, they were already looking to move on from Ridley before this suspension, so giving him a change of scenery is sensible. They will get at least a couple of Day 3 picks in exchange for him, but if he succeeds in Jacksonville, their return could get even better.
How Calvin Ridley can impact Falcons draft picks
At the very least, the Falcons are acquiring a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick for Ridley. That said, there are some conditions attached to the 2024 selection that could improve the compensation that Atlanta receives.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the fourth-round pick can either stay at that value, improve to a third-round pick or become a second-round pick depending on if certain conditions are met. They are as follows:
- If Ridley is on the Jaguars roster, it stays as a fourth-round pick.
- If Ridley reaches certainty incentives, it becomes a third-round pick.
- If Ridley signs a contract extension with the Jaguars, it becomes a second-round pick.
It isn’t clear what happens if Ridley doesn’t make the Jaguars roster or what happens if he isn’t reinstated from suspension. Either way though, the Falcons benefit if Ridley does well. So, they will certainly be wishing him the best as they give him a fresh start.
MORE: Why the Falcons opted not to trade Calvin Ridley to the Eagles
Calvin Ridley contract
The Falcons should know soon enough whether the Jaguars are able to sign Ridley to an extension. The receiver will enter the fifth and final year of his rookie contract once he is reinstated, so he will effectively be on a one-year deal worth $11,116,000 when he joins the Jaguars.
Ridley’s original, four-year rookie contract began in 2018, and the Falcons exercised his fifth-year option for 2022. However, because he was suspended, his contract tolled, meaning that the amount he would have been paid in 2022 was essentially deferred until 2023.
So, the Falcons paid the first four years and $10.9 million of it. Now the Jaguars will be on the hook for his fifth-year option in 2023. Below is a breakdown of Ridley’s contract, per Spotrac.com.
| Year | Base salary | Signing bonus | Cap hit |
| 2018 | $480,000 | $1,501,947 | $1,981,947 |
| 2019 | $975,487 | $1,501,947 | $2,477,434 |
| 2020 | $1,470,974 | $1,501,947 | $2,972,921 |
| 2021 | $1,966,461 | $1,501,949 | $3,468,410 |
| 2022* | — | — | — |
| 2023 | $11,116,000 | $0 | $11,116,000 |
* 2022 contract deferred to 2023 because of gambling suspension.
