The NFL trade deadline is closing in, and the contenders are already making moves to sharpen their rosters for the stretch drive. Seattle landed superstar guard Quenton Nelson yesterday, and San Francisco answered by bringing back defensive lineman DeForest Buckner.
Atlanta doesn’t need to chase a splashy headline to stay in the mix. The Falcons can still win their division and remain a dark-horse threat in the Wild Card round without swinging big.
But they could use help in a few spots, and one name worth watching is very familiar: former Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, now with the Tennessee Titans. Mike Jones of The Athletic included Ridley among 10 trade targets to monitor around the league.
"The eighth-year veteran has seen his role in the Titans offense diminish this season. Targeted just 10 times, Ridley has five catches for 81 yards but averages 16.2 yards per reception. A savvy veteran, he could make the transition to a new system midseason, unlike some young wideouts."
Ridley is no longer the same high-end receiver Atlanta drafted in 2018, and he hasn’t found the end zone since 2024. But the Falcons don’t need him to be the old top dog again.
What they do need is a real third receiver behind Drake London and Jahan Dotson. Olamide Zaccheaus was never going to be enough for that job, and rookie Zachariah Branch is still being brought along too slowly to fill it the way Atlanta wants.
Matt Ryan has already made a habit of reuniting with former Falcons, including Zaccheaus and tight end Austin Hooper. Ridley would fit that pattern, strengthen the depth chart at a key position, and likely wouldn’t cost more than a late Day 3 pick.
In Other News...
Jessie Bates Is Closing In On Rare Falcons History
Jessie Bates III keeps finding ways to tilt games in Atlantas favor, and his latest showing against the 49ers was another reminder of how valuable he has become to the Falcons defense. He came away with an interception and then helped finish off the game with a forced fumble, the kind of all-around impact that has made him one of the steadiest playmakers on the roster this season.
The performance also pushed Bates closer to rare NFL history, adding to a career pattern of game-changing outings that has become more common than his Pro Bowl rsum might suggest. He remains one of the leagues better safeties by the numbers as well, sitting near the top of the position group in PFF grading, which only adds to the case that his impact in Atlanta has been bigger than the accolades have shown. [Read more 🡒]
Arthur Blank Just Entered A Debate Falcons Fans Didn't Expect
Arthur Blank has never been shy about putting his money into political causes, but his latest campaign-cycle giving has drawn attention for a reason that goes beyond the usual owner-fan divide. The Falcons owner donated to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs reelection campaign and also wrote a larger check to Democratic efforts in the Senate races, a move that stands out in a league where most owners have traditionally leaned the other way.
Blanks donations are especially notable because they span both sides of the aisle, including a contribution to former Falcons kicker Jay Feely, who is now running as a Republican in Arizona. For Atlanta fans, it is another reminder that Blank tends to follow his own lane, even when it puts him into conversations NFL ownership usually tries to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookies Just Made Divine Deablos Future A Real Question
Divine Deablos season has already taken a turn the Falcons did not want to see, with injuries and uneven play sending the linebacker to injured reserve. For a defense that has tried to sort out its identity all year, the bigger issue now is what his absence has revealed: Atlanta has found younger options who are not just filling snaps, but making a real case to stay in the mix.
Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have both flashed enough in Deablos place to make the roster conversation more complicated for the front office. With those rookies giving the Falcons production and flexibility, Deablos future in Atlanta looks increasingly uncertain, especially if the team decides its money is better spent elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]