After sustaining an unfortunate abdominal injury against the Carolina Panthers in Week 14, Atlanta Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley‘s sophomore season is over. It was a disappointing conclusion to an impressive run for the soon-to-be- 25-year-old, and another sour note to add to a lost season for the Falcons franchise.
Ridley’s second NFL campaign ended with a final stat line of 63 catches for 866 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games, a similar level of production to his 64-catch, 821-yard, 10-touchdown rookie season.
However, the numbers only tell part of the story. A closer look illustrates that 2019 was a true breakout performance for the talented young man, and he clearly has a very bright NFL future ahead of him.
Calvin Ridley Arrived in a Big Way in 2019
Ridley was the second receiver off the board in the 2018 NFL Draft when the Falcons scooped him up (no pun intended) with the 26th overall pick. The former Alabama standout was considered the most pro-ready wideout in the draft, by many. Only D.J. Moore, the 24th overall pick of the Panthers, was drafted higher.
Ridley exploded onto the NFL stage, racking up 15 catches, 264 receiving yards, and six touchdowns in Weeks Two through Four of his rookie season, but cooled off a bit after that. In fact, over the final 12 games of the season, he only surpassed 50 receiving yards on three occasions, although he did score four more touchdowns.
After another hot start in 2019, he saw his fair share of ups and downs, but was absolutely on fire over his last four games, catching 27 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns despite missing more than a quarter of action in his most recent appearance.
Ridley was clicking with quarterback Matt Ryan in a big way and was emerging as one of the best young pass-catchers in the league. Yes, the injury brought all of that to a halt and ruined his chance to achieve his first 1,000-yard season, but there’s little doubt that day is coming and it’s coming soon.
Keeping Up With an All-Timer
In fact, a strong argument can be made that prior to his injury, Ridley was emerging as a “1A” option to Julio Jones in the Falcons’ passing attack. That suggestion will likely be scoffed at by some, but facts are facts. With the All-Pro Jones averaging his lowest number of receiving yards per game (84.7) since his sophomore season in 2012 and still struggling to score touchdowns, Ridley elevated his game and at times, outplayed his more heralded teammate.
Before I go any further, this is in no way a criticism of Jones. The six-time Pro Bowler remains one of the game’s truly elite pass-catchers and the majority of the blame for any struggles he’s endured this season has been attributable to injury. I’m not implying that Jones is slipping in any way, shape, or form, whatsoever. But none of that diminishes what Ridley has accomplished while sharing the field with his fellow Crimson Tide alumni.
Over the course of the last three games during which these dynamic receivers have shared the field (Jones missed a Thanksgiving night game against New Orleans in which Ridley snared eight catches for 91 yards), here’s how their production compares:
Ridley: 27 targets, 19 receptions, 304 receiving yards, three touchdowns
Jones: 26 targets, 16 receptions, 225 receiving yards, zero touchdowns
Again, this isn’t an argument against Jones or a suggestion that Ridley has surpassed him, but it’s clear that the young star had emerged as a featured player in this offense, and was enjoying the best stretch of his career since September of 2018.
A Bright Future
The start of the 2020 NFL season is almost nine months away, so making any grand proclamations right now seems silly, but it’s not unreasonable to wax poetically about Calvin Ridley’s potential for greatness. To date, he’s passed every test an up-and-coming receiver can pass.
Impressive rookie production? Check. Chemistry with a top-notch NFL quarterback? Check. Ability to make big plays? Double-check. In fact, with 17 touchdown receptions in just 29 career games, he’s shown a nose for the end zone like few others.
Even in the midst of a frustrating season for the Falcons, he’s been a frequent bright spot and with Jones still in the mix, the team will continue to boast one of the game’s best receiving tandems. Ridley’s upside remains immense and with another year of seasoning and learning the nuances of the pro game under his belt, he could be poised to enter the ranks of the elite in short order.
