The Detroit Lions have a dire need for help at wide receiver this offseason. It’s arguably the most pressing need on the entire team. And while the focus right now is on free agency and the upcoming 2022 NFL draft, could a trade also help fill the need?
That’s the thought behind the potential of acquiring Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley. The Falcons could be willing to part with Ridley, their first-round pick in 2017, in exchange for the right level of compensation.
Here’s what Matt Urben (formerly of Lions Wire) wrote over at Falcons Wire about the potential fit between Ridley and Detroit,
No team in the league needs help at the wide receiver position as badly as Detroit. Jared Goff didn’t have a great season, but he had very little to work with in the passing game. The Lions have a great tight end in T.J. Hockenson, former Georgia star D’Andre Swift at running back and a good offensive line. They really just need a few legitimate weapons on the outside to make the offense click. Ridley would instantly become the Lions’ No. 1 option and perhaps he’d prefer Dan Campbell’s temperament to that of Arthur Smith.
Ridley isn’t a slam-dunk sale as a receiver. He caught 31 passes for 281 yards and two TDs in Atlanta in 2021, a year where he missed 12 games due to personal reasons dealing with his mental health and well-being. He’s been an effective weapon, catching 26 touchdowns among 217 receptions in his first three seasons while primarily serving as the second banana to All-Pro Julio Jones. But he’s entering the final year of his contract and will need to learn a third offense in as many offseasons with whatever team he joins.
Based on player fit, it makes sense for the Lions to pursue Ridley. But between the cost of acquiring him and the concept of Ridley being a one-year rental, it’s hard to see the forward-looking Lions having a lot of interest unless there are no other strong suitors for Atlanta to choose from.
