It’s no secret that wide receiver is among the biggest needs for the Raiders this offseason. After the DUI and following the release of Henry Ruggs, the team just didn’t have a receiver that could stretch the field in any capacity.
But how the Raiders address that need remains to be seen. They could use their first-round pick to find a young receiver, but drafting at pick No. 22 means they might only get the third or fourth receiver in the class.
Instead, could they look to the trade market to find a proven speedster? In a recent article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he predicted that the Falcons would trade Calvin Ridley this offseason. Here is what Fowler had to say about a possible trade:
“Ridley missed 12 games after stepping away from football to work on his mental health. But assuming he’s back in an NFL lineup in 2022 and is in a good space, several teams view him as a top-10 receiver. His market would be robust. Ridley is due a fifth-year option of $11.16 million next season.
What could the Falcons get in return? One league exec says a conditional second-round pick — which could turn into a first-rounder based on playing time — seems like a sweet spot for Ridley. That would allow the team to cover itself if he can’t play a full season.”
It’s unknown if Ridley is planning on returning to the NFL next year, but some have hypothesized that he could use a fresh start. If that is the case, the Raiders would make a ton of sense given their need for speed at wide receiver.
And if the cost is only a conditional second-round pick, likely in 2023, that would be even more attractive for the Raiders. Ridley would be a perfect fit with Derek Carr as he is constantly open due to his speed and route running.
If Ridley does become available on the trade market, it would only make sense for the Raiders to show interest. We shall see if anything comes to fruition regarding a potential trade.
