Calvin Ridley would be the No. 1 wide receiver the Lions are looking for

As the Atlanta Falcons possibly look to move Calvin Ridley, the Detroit Lions should be aggressive to make a deal for him.

The Atlanta Falcons traded one of the best players in franchise history last offseason, moving wide receiver Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans in a trade. In a case of deja vu, Steve Wyche of NFL Network reported this week on an Atlanta radio show the Falcons and Calvin Ridley may be seeking a “fresh start.”

Ridley had a breakout season in 2020, with 90 receptions for 1,374 yards (15.3 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns. But he has not played since before Halloween this season, as he stepped away to get handle on his mental health. He also did not make the trip with the Falcons to London a few weeks before that, for a similar reason. It eventually became inevitable he would not play again this season.

Ridley being in a good place mentally is the No. 1 thing, and it should not be brushed aside despite some naysayers willing to say he quit on his team this season. But if he’s good to go there, he’s undeniably one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL.

Calvin Ridley would look pretty good as the Lions’ No. 1 wide receiver

In five games this season, Ridley had 31 catches on 52 targets. His yards-per metrics weren’t very good (9.1 yards per catch, 5.4 yards per target, etc.), but that is a major outlier compared to his first three seasons. He is a legit threat to all levels of the field.

The Lions have a young star wide receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown. But beyond him there are health question marks (Quintez Cephus), and potential re-signings (Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond) looking to the offseason elsewhere on the depth chart.

The Lions have three of the first 34 picks in April’s draft right now, and they could use one of them  on a wide receiver in another loaded-looking class at the position. But Ridley stands out as a proven commodity, and right now (even assuming some agreement on an extension interlaced in a trade) he’s only under contract for a little less than $11.2 million via his fifth-year option in 2022. He just turned 27 last month, so Ridley has plenty of prime years left and is well-worth a long-term investment.

The Lions also have the Rams 2023 first-round pick from last offseason’s Matthew Stafford trade. So they have the draft capital to make a competitive offer for Ridley, even considering the New York Jets are lined up to have two top-10 picks in this year’s draft and should be a suitor as well.

The Lions need someone with the skill set and profile of a No. 1 wide receiver. Ridley may be falling right into their laps. General manager Brad Holmes should be thinking about what his best trade offer would be, and call the Falcons with nothing less than it when the time is appropriate.