Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons. (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
The Atlanta Falcons knew Calvin Ridley would be suspended for the season, which is why they were not engaging in trade talks for the talented, but troubled wide receiver.
There is a great reason why the Atlanta Falcons were not actively trying to move wide receiver Calvin Ridley: They knew he was going to get suspended.
Though teams like the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots and New York Jets would have loved to have added a former first-round pick to their receiving corps, why would Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith sell high on a player knowing he was not going to play? It is bad business for two up-and-comers to get another team to hold the bag.
Had Ridley not been suspended for 2022, he would have been worth at least one first-round pick.
Atlanta Falcons knew Calvin Ridley was going to be suspended for gambling
While not being an active participant in trade talks out of good faith has positive karmic implications, the Falcons need talent badly. Ridley was supposed to be a huge part of their offense going forward. With Julio Jones demanding a trade out of town last season, Ridley would be the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver. Instead, he missed the bulk of the year with mental health issues.
While there is no telling what he is and was going through mentally, betting on the team you play for and the league you play in is ethically unacceptable. This is some Pete Rose-level stuff Ridley finds himself in. Though he did not have the ability to impact the games like Rose did when he was managing the Cincinnati Reds, you cannot bet on the team you play for and expect that to be okay.
Even if the NFL is becoming more and more involved with sports gambling, there is a line you cannot cross, and this is it. It may be incredibly hypocritical for the league to reap the financial benefits of increased gambling visibility nationwide and suspended a player for taking part in it, but the rules are the rules. There was a can of worms and Ridley cracked that baby boy wide open.
Look for the Falcons to have an even greater emphasis on acquiring multiple wide receivers.