ATLANTA – Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team must have a succession plan at quarterback even while Matt Ryan appears set to continue as the starter in 2022.
The Falcons face more complicated decisions at wide receiver, where Calvin Ridley’s status remains uncertain.
Blank, in Los Angeles for Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and the L.A. Rams, said the Falcons still have not had direct conversations with Ridley since the former first-round draft pick missed the final 11 games last season while addressing his mental health.
“It’s a matter of HIPAA regulations in terms to what we have access to or should have access to,” Blank said Wednesday night. “We’re here to support Calvin as he goes through this journey he’s on, and it’s a difficult journey.”
In the wake of seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones being traded to the Tennessee Titans last summer, Ridley was considered Ryan’s top target entering the 2021 season. That changed after Ridley was a last-minute scratch before a home game against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 31.