Calvin Ridley suspended: Who can Falcons replace him with at WR?

The Atlanta Falcons have to replace the suspended wide receiver Calvin Ridley this offseason.

As if the Atlanta Falcons needed another wrench thrown into their offseason plans, the Dirty Birds will be without former first-round pick Calvin Ridley again, this time because he gambled on NFL games and got himself suspended.

After taking some time off for mental health reasons a season ago, the former Alabama standout finds himself in some very hot water. Not only did he admit to betting on games, but he bet on games involving the franchise he was a part of. Yes, the NFL is becoming increasingly on board with gambling, but you cannot have a player bet on or against the team he is employed by at all.

In the latest episode of pure embarrassment for the Falcons franchise, they have to carry on. Who could they possibly add to replace their unreliable wide receiver in 2022?

Atlanta Falcons: Who could replace Calvin Ridley at wide receiver in 2022?

A.J. Green could make his triumphant return to the Southeast to play for Atlanta

After spending last year with the Arizona Cardinals, veteran wide receiver A.J. Green will be hitting free agency yet again. While he spent nearly all of his borderline Pro Football Hall of Fame career in a Cincinnati Bengals uniform, Green first rose to national prominence as a star receiver for the nearby Georgia Bulldogs. He was in the same NFL Draft class as former Falcons star Julio Jones.

Green may be firmly on the wrong side of 30, but he would certainly check the box of what the Falcons are missing: A veteran wide receiver who can make plays when his team needs him to. The good news is Atlanta already has an emerging star at tight end in Kyle Pitts. Green is no longer a No. 1 option at wide receiver, but for the right price, he could be a huge upgrade for the Falcons.

Of course, if he values winning above all else, Atlanta may not be the right team to link up with.

Falcons may replace a former Alabama star with another in John Metchie III

While the Falcons could use their No. 8 overall pick and reach on a wide receiver, they are better served drafting a guy in day two to solve that issue long-term. One player who could be coming off the board around that time is former Alabama star John Metchie III. While he suffered an injury in the College Football Playoff for the Crimson Tide, Metchie projects as a high-quality wide receiver.

Atlanta should look to add the best defensive player possible at No. 8 and then pursue a wide receiver in the second or third round. Given that Metchie is coming off an injury, this will knock his draft stock down a tad. However, playing at a school like Alabama, the Falcons’ brass can know he battled every day in practice for Nick Saban. Metchie knows how to play in an ensemble cast, too.

Again, the Falcons need to look for value in the draft to find their right long-term wide receiver.