Julio Jones spent the majority of his time with the Falcons as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, but he’s in Tennessee now and that leaves the job open for the first time in a long time.
Calvin Ridley is going to get the first crack at filling that spot on the depth chart and the 2018 first-round pick was asked if he’s feeling added weight on his shoulders as a result of the change. Ridley said he’s feeling “no pressure” as he moves toward his first season without Jones on hand.
“I played with Julio, Mohamed Sanu, since Day 1, those guys, I feel like I’ve been moving toward that way of I can do it by myself,” Ridley said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “Obviously I’m not by myself, we have other players who are really good, but I feel like I’ve been ready and I just needed an opportunity to get in those positions.”
The Falcons got a look at Ridley as their top wideout when Jones was injured last season and his 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns provides optimism for how he’ll do with an even longer run in the position.