Sources: Ridley debut seals ’24 pick for Falcons

Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley already is off to a great start for Jacksonville — and Atlanta.

The Falcons traded Ridley in November to the Jaguars for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick. That 2024 pick could become a third-round pick if the standout wide receiver meets certain incentives or a second-round pick if Jacksonville signs him to a contract extension.

The first condition of the trade was met last week, when Ridley appeared on the Jaguars’ roster for Week 1 and played in the regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, league sources said. Once that happened, it meant the Jaguars officially owed the Falcons a 2024 fourth-round pick, league sources said.

According to league sources, the fourth-round pick becomes a third-round pick if Ridley plays at least 60% of the Jaguars’ offensive snaps or records either 75 receptions or 1,000 receiving yards. Ridley had eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in his Jaguars’ debut, and most people who have watched the wide receiver believe that, if he stays healthy, those season-long numbers are more than attainable.

If Ridley, who is in the final year of his contract, re-signs with Jacksonville, the conditional pick to the Falcons would become a second-rounder, sources said. Ridley is not expected to sign an extension at any point this season and will wait until after the season to begin negotiations, sources said.

Either way, Ridley is poised to make a huge impact after the NFL suspended him for the 2022 season for gambling on games.

And each play he makes helps the Jaguars and the Falcons.