Falcons Use Jaguars Pick From Calvin Ridley Trade To Acquire Jeff Okudah

A familiar draft selection is changing destinations.

It’s November of 2022. The Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars agree on a deal that sends wideout Calvin Ridley to Duval County in exchange for two conditional picks, with the maximum compensation of a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 second round pick contingent upon the reinstatement of the 27-year-old.

With Ridley’s reinstatement being finalized in early March, the Atlanta Falcons were guaranteed that 2023 fifth round pick, slated at No. 159 overall. However, the team opted to move in a different direction, sending it over in a deal with the Detroit Lions to acquire cornerback Jeff Okudah.

The third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Okudah became the second first round defensive back to be traded from that draft class in the last two seasons, with the Jaguars 2020 ninth overall selection CJ Henderson being flipped to the Carolina Panthers in 2021 along with a 2022 fifth rounder in exchange for tight end Dan Arnold and a 2022 third round pick.

Looking at these two transactions in a microscope, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons were able to acquire impact players at key positions that’ll serve as major improvements for their 2023 rosters. It truly shows the value that even fifth round picks have when putting together trade packages.

Time will tell whether or not these deals will pan out the way they appear on paper. For now, though, it appears the Falcons traded Ridley to the Jaguars for Okudah and a conditional 2024 pick -- a deal the Jaguars can be more than happy with.