Jaguars acquire suspended Falcons WR Calvin Ridley
The Jacksonville Jaguars have added a wide receiver but will not be able to field new recruit Calvin Ridley until 2023 at the earliest.
It emerged on Tuesday the Atlanta Falcons have traded the suspended Ridley to the Jaguars in exchange for a complex draft compensation.
The Falcons will receive two draft picks that will range from a maximum compensation of a 2023 fifth-round selection and a second-rounder in 2024.
Ridley, 27, is suspended through at least the conclusion of the 2022 season for betting on NFL games during the 2021 season.
His suspension was handed down in early March, and he may not apply for reinstatement until February 15, 2023.
Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said: "We are excited to welcome Calvin Ridley to our organisation and the Duval community.
"This is an opportunity to add a proven playmaker to our already talented wide receiver room as we continue to build our roster for 2023 and beyond. We are looking forward to finishing strong this season and integrating Calvin into our programme at the appropriate time."
The intricate nature of the trade was reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. If Ridley gets reinstated by a certain date, the Falcons will receive a fifth-round pick in 2023. If not, it will be a sixth-rounder.
If he makes the Jaguars in 2024, the pick becomes at least a fourth-round selection. And if he reaches a certain playing-time milestone, the pick is a third, while if he signs a long-term deal with the Jaguars, the pick is a second-rounder.
Ridley placed his bets over a five-day span in November 2021, when he was away from the team to focus on his mental health and was on the reserve/NFI list. The league opened an investigation and concluded there was no insider information on the betting activity and none of the coaches or players on the Falcons were aware or involved.
Ridley, who is slated to make $11,116,000 in 2023 on the final year of his rookie contract, appeared in just five games in 2021, catching 31 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns.
This came after he totted up 1,374 receiving yards in 2020 to finish tied for fifth in the NFL.
A first-round pick by the Falcons in 2018, Ridley had 217 catches for 3,061 yards and 26 TD receptions over his first three seasons. His TD reception total is tied for the 20th most in NFL history by a player through his first three pro seasons.
