Patriots: Calvin Ridley Still on the Radar?

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Bill Belichick

The New England Patriots were once considered a potential destination for the Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver, Calvin Ridley. Unfortunately, Ridley was suspended for the 2022 season for gambling in NFL games.

It’s difficult to gauge how far-reaching the breach will involve Ridley’s career, but at least he won’t be involved in a deal or trade this season. What about next year?

At least one Boston-area journalist seems to believe it’s at least likely that Bill Belichick is tracking the events surrounding Ridley’s suspension and the possibility of being reinstated next year.

Conor Ryan of Boston Sports Magazine tweeted a popular gif from The Office after NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero released the details surrounding Ridley’s suspension.

Will the Patriots still care about Ridley after getting involved in this situation? Maybe it’s not as crazy as it appears.

Why is Ridley’s transgression such a big deal

There are a number of social media posts from fans, journalists, former players, etc. questioning the NFL’s punishment for Ridley. While there have been other violations by players and coaches in the NFL that are perhaps more morally serious, it’s difficult to rule out the potential negative impact of any type of gambling by the NFL. NFL player or coach for the game.

We’ve seen the gambling scandals that rocked the NBA, and almost all of us have heard fans time and again suggest the NBA Playoffs be fixed in one way or another. . Past problems with gambling provide for those assertions.

Ridley is said to have used the Fan Duel to place a number of bets on teams – including betting on his team to win – but this is a dangerous front. The NFL, like any other sports federation can afford to have the integrity of their competitions seriously questioned. If the federation downplays the punishment for anyone found guilty of betting on the game, it shows that the behavior can be repeated or even escalated without much penalty.

Because of this, it is difficult to reasonably blame the federation for its actions.

Bill Belichick had trouble with the recipient before

Ridley might look like a player no team would ever want to pursue. However, Belichick and the Patriots has a history of acquiring talented wide receivers that come with a little bit of baggage.

New England signed Tom Brady’s former college teammate David Terrell to a one-year deal in 2005. Terrell has been plagued by inconsistent play and off-field problems. when the Patriots gave him a chance.

The Patriots traded for Randy Moss in 2007 after a tumultuous time with the Oakland Raiders. Moss went on to help Brady rewrite records that season. New England also signed polarizing star Chad Ocho Cinco in 2011 after things went south with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Patriots had a chance for Josh Gordon after being suspended for a substance abuse policy violation and Antonio Brown after he was negligently released from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Considering the track record, it’s not surprising that Belichick has legitimate interests. Following his suspension, Ridley now has one year left on his contract with the Falcons for $11.1 million. That seems likely to be a contract of attrition if the Patriots try to get Ridley.

If the Patriots can find the #1 receiver this season, they probably won’t be eager to part with draft content. However, if they continue to look to Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers as cashiers, buying Ridley is starting to look appealing.

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