Detroit Lions: 3 receivers worthy of trading the no. 34 pick to acquire
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Lions should consider trading for Calvin Ridley.
Calvin Ridley seems to be the top receiver currently available via trade. The rebuilding Atlanta Falcons have financial concerns ahead of the 2022 season and may elect to use their largest trade chip to acquire additional draft capital ahead of the NFL Draft.
The Detroit Lions have plenty of draft capital, and the second pick in the second round might be enough to land the star receiver. Ridley is a tremendous talent but comes with some risks and concerns.
Ridley took a midseason hiatus due to a mental health concern. Mental health is no joke, and I wish Ridley all the best, but this is a billion-dollar business, and the Lions organization would need to do their due diligence and make sure Ridley is healthy along with providing the young man with anything he’d need before making a deal. Basically, the Lions need to make sure Ridley is able to play football before moving the 34th pick for his services.
When it comes to on-field play, Ridley has emerged as one of the top pass-catchers in the game. Ridley, 27 years old, is a 6-foot-1 versatile pass-catcher that excels working as a top outside threat plus can be lethal working out of the slot. The former Alabama star would be the perfect partner for second-year man Amon-Ra St. Brown. Adding Ridley to an already talented offense could conceal some of Goff’s issues.
Ridley has amassed 3,342 yards on 248 receptions totaling 28 touchdowns over 49 games and 35 starts with the Falcons in four seasons.
The Falcons would save about $11 million against the cap by moving Ridley, who is entering a contract year and one can assume will be looking to nearly double that number on a long-term deal in a year from now. Will Brad Holmes be willing to move a premium pick for a possible rental?
At the same time, Jared Goff will likely be coming off the books following this season, providing the organization with the necessary cap space to sign Ridley to a long-term deal.
Just some food for thought.