The Falcons traded Calvin Ridley to the Jaguars last offseason, and it came with several stipulations in regards to the compensation Atlanta would receive in the deal.
Currently, the Falcons own the Jaguars’ 2024 third-round pick due to playing time and production marks that Ridley hit in 2023, but if Jacksonville extends him, that selection will turn into a second-rounder. However, signs are pointing to Atlanta getting stuck with the third.
“Per terms of the 2022 trade with Atlanta to acquire Ridley, Jacksonville’s third-round pick due to Atlanta turns into a second-rounder if Jacksonville extends Ridley’s contract. That’s why Jacksonville would need to wait until after the new league year begins to avoid giving up a second, because at that point any deal would be a free agency signing and not an extension. But that gives Ridley time to talk with other teams during the negotiating window, unless he and Jacksonville can work out a loose agreement and wait,” Jeremy Fowler said.
The only incentive the Jags have to extend Ridley is to remove the possibility of a bidding war and subsequently losing him in free agency. Ridley can re-sign with Jacksonville in free agency after the league year begins on March 13 at 4 p.m, and it’ll cost the Falcons considerably.
Ridley’s return to football didn’t go as well as many had hoped, but it’s not appropriate to hang most of the Jaguars’ shortcomings on the Falcons 2018 first-round pick. After all, Ridley still managed to haul in 76 receptions for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns, including four 100-yard games.
Apparently, according to Charlie Campbell of Walter Football, the Jaguars were frustrated with Ridley’s attention to detail, though.
“The Jaguars were disappointed and frustrated with the play of Calvin Ridley last year. Ridley was under-weight, did not supply the yards after the catch, and had a plethora of missed assignments,” Campbell wrote. “Those sources said the Jaguars want a big outside receiver for Trevor Lawrence and that the position is a round priority on Day 1 or Day 2.”
It still seems like Trent Baalke would prefer to keep the All-Pro pass catcher, but the Jaguars GM also seems likely to let the new league year come before inking any deal to save a second-round pick. It’s a risk to let Ridley potentially test free agency, but if it pays off, Baalke will come out looking like a genius, and the Falcons will have only garnered a fourth and third-round pick from the Calvin Ridley trade.
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Photographer: David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire
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