UCF Jaguars, who used to post on this board, has a regular youtube feature and he proposed an interesting trade, which presumes we end up with the top overall pick once this weekend's games are over.

Under his hypothetical, having targets for Trevor would no longer be an issue, as we would trade back to ten with Atlanta, who would include WR Calvin Ridley in a package.

At ten, drafting WR Jameson Williams would make sense, and our WR group would look something like this

DJ Chark
Calvin Ridley
Jameson Williams
Laviska Shenault
Marvin Jones
Laquan Treadwell

This group looks a while lot better than this year's group.

This move would not be without risk.  Ridley left the Falcons due to mental health issues.  The Jaguars dealt CJ Henderson due to mental health issues.

But at least he has healthy ACLs, which is more than we could say for Godwin and Gallup.  If his head is on straight, he'd give Trevor a fast, experienced WR who can run good routes.

Adopting a trade would enable the team to allocate free agency money towards the OL and TE.

Thoughts?

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I'm against any trade involving Ridley. I don't deal with acquiring players who have mental health issues. It's way too risky. If Ridley felt as though he had to take time away from the NFL in the middle of the season to get his mind right, that is very telling. If he felt he needed to step away, it's probably best for his own mental health, if he calls it a career. He needs to put himself first. In this case, I'd be too afraid we would make the deal and then a couple of games into next season, he might decide he needs to stop playing football altogether. In that case, we've essentially moved down 10 spots for nothing. I would need more than Ridley to make such a deal. Besides, right now, has Ridley even indicated that he wants to return?

---

I'm against any trade involving Ridley. I don't deal with acquiring players who have mental health issues. It's way too risky. If Ridley felt as though he had to take time away from the NFL in the middle of the season to get his mind right, that is very telling. If he felt he needed to step away, it's probably best for his own mental health, if he calls it a career. He needs to put himself first. In this case, I'd be too afraid we would make the deal and then a couple of games into next season, he might decide he needs to stop playing football altogether. In that case, we've essentially moved down 10 spots for nothing. I would need more than Ridley to make such a deal. Besides, right now, has Ridley even indicated that he wants to return?

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you?

As for a potential trade for Ridley, I have assumed Ridley would be included as part of a larger package, and would not serve, standing alone, as sufficient compensation for a trade back to ten, even assuming there would not be a huge demand for the #1 overall pick.

I would turn down a trade that was just the #10 and Ridley for the #1.

Putting aside the concerns for his mental health for the moment and just focus on Ridley's abilities/skill as a WR. Do you think he would significantly upgrade the WR position?

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I'm against any trade involving Ridley. I don't deal with acquiring players who have mental health issues. It's way too risky. If Ridley felt as though he had to take time away from the NFL in the middle of the season to get his mind right, that is very telling. If he felt he needed to step away, it's probably best for his own mental health, if he calls it a career. He needs to put himself first. In this case, I'd be too afraid we would make the deal and then a couple of games into next season, he might decide he needs to stop playing football altogether. In that case, we've essentially moved down 10 spots for nothing. I would need more than Ridley to make such a deal. Besides, right now, has Ridley even indicated that he wants to return?

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you?

There is a bit of a difference. What would we be giving up to get Johnson? It depends on the price tag and I'd need to interview Johnson and see where his head was at. He did come back after sitting out 3 games. Ridley on the other hand, has been gone a while and from the radio silence that the Falcons are projecting on the issue, that tells me Ridley might be done with football. If Ridley had come back at some point during this last season, maybe I wouldn't be so apprehensive about a deal, but his silence is deafening.

---

I'm against any trade involving Ridley. I don't deal with acquiring players who have mental health issues. It's way too risky. If Ridley felt as though he had to take time away from the NFL in the middle of the season to get his mind right, that is very telling. If he felt he needed to step away, it's probably best for his own mental health, if he calls it a career. He needs to put himself first. In this case, I'd be too afraid we would make the deal and then a couple of games into next season, he might decide he needs to stop playing football altogether. In that case, we've essentially moved down 10 spots for nothing. I would need more than Ridley to make such a deal. Besides, right now, has Ridley even indicated that he wants to return?

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you? 

As for a potential trade for Ridley, I have assumed Ridley would be included as part of a larger package, and would not serve, standing alone, as sufficient compensation for a trade back to ten, even assuming there would not be a huge demand for the #1 overall pick.

I would turn down a trade that was just the #10 and Ridley for the #1.

Putting aside the concerns for his mental health for the moment and just focus on Ridley's abilities/skill as a WR.  Do you think he would significantly upgrade the WR position?

The bottom of your post must've gotten cut off. Just going by Ridley's abilities and stats, of course he would be an upgrade. A very significant one. If we could get a healthy minded Ridley, re-sign D.J. Chark and add a couple of WR's in the draft, we'd be in very good shape.

---

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you?

There is a bit of a difference. What would we be giving up to get Johnson? It depends on the price tag and I'd need to interview Johnson and see where his head was at. He did come back after sitting out 3 games. Ridley on the other hand, has been gone a while and from the radio silence that the Falcons are projecting on the issue, that tells me Ridley might be done with football. If Ridley had come back at some point during this last season, maybe I wouldn't be so apprehensive about a deal, but his silence is deafening.

Per PFNs mock draft simulatr, the Eagles might have pick #14.

So let's assume a similar trade package to whatever the Falcons are offering, only substitute Johnson for Ridley.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

There is a bit of a difference. What would we be giving up to get Johnson? It depends on the price tag and I'd need to interview Johnson and see where his head was at. He did come back after sitting out 3 games. Ridley on the other hand, has been gone a while and from the radio silence that the Falcons are projecting on the issue, that tells me Ridley might be done with football. If Ridley had come back at some point during this last season, maybe I wouldn't be so apprehensive about a deal, but his silence is deafening.

Per PFNs mock draft simulatr, the Eagles might have pick #14.

So let's assume a similar trade package to whatever the Falcons are offering, only substitute Johnson for Ridley.

I'd need something more than just Lane Johnson to move all the way back to #14. Something pretty significant. I have Jameson Williams going to Cleveland at #13, so right away, I don't like this deal. I'm also taking into account Johnson's extensive injury history. He hasn't played a full season since 2015.

---

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you?

There is a bit of a difference. What would we be giving up to get Johnson? It depends on the price tag and I'd need to interview Johnson and see where his head was at. He did come back after sitting out 3 games. Ridley on the other hand, has been gone a while and from the radio silence that the Falcons are projecting on the issue, that tells me Ridley might be done with football. If Ridley had come back at some point during this last season, maybe I wouldn't be so apprehensive about a deal, but his silence is deafening.

---

Let's switch the hypothetical for a moment.

Suppose Pederson became the new coach, and he wanted to bring in Lane Johnson to play RT sincehe would be a clear upgrade and he is familiar with the blocking schemes.

Same response from you? 

As for a potential trade for Ridley, I have assumed Ridley would be included as part of a larger package, and would not serve, standing alone, as sufficient compensation for a trade back to ten, even assuming there would not be a huge demand for the #1 overall pick.

I would turn down a trade that was just the #10 and Ridley for the #1.

Putting aside the concerns for his mental health for the moment and just focus on Ridley's abilities/skill as a WR.  Do you think he would significantly upgrade the WR position?

The bottom of your post must've gotten cut off. Just going by Ridley's abilities and stats, of course he would be an upgrade. A very significant one. If we could get a healthy minded Ridley, re-sign D.J. Chark and add a couple of WR's in the draft, we'd be in very good shape.

Nope, not cut off.  Just edited it.

Your concerns for Ridley's MH are certainly valid.

I think it's entirely possible they are legit MH issues and not a ruse for escaping a new coach (Smith) for whom he has antipathy.

But assuming his MH issues are his iteration of Ramsey's exit strategy, or otherwise a MH issue that can be stabilized, assuming the other compensation is sufficient, you'd be okay with the deal?

I would be.  Physically, I agree completely with your assessment of Ridley.  I'd certainly take Ridley over Gallup and I like a healthy Gallup.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

There is a bit of a difference. What would we be giving up to get Johnson? It depends on the price tag and I'd need to interview Johnson and see where his head was at. He did come back after sitting out 3 games. Ridley on the other hand, has been gone a while and from the radio silence that the Falcons are projecting on the issue, that tells me Ridley might be done with football. If Ridley had come back at some point during this last season, maybe I wouldn't be so apprehensive about a deal, but his silence is deafening.

---

The bottom of your post must've gotten cut off. Just going by Ridley's abilities and stats, of course he would be an upgrade. A very significant one. If we could get a healthy minded Ridley, re-sign D.J. Chark and add a couple of WR's in the draft, we'd be in very good shape.

Nope, not cut off.  Just edited it.

Your concerns for Ridley's MH are certainly valid.

I think it's entirely possible they are legit MH issues and not a ruse for escaping a new coach (Smith) for whom he has antipathy.

But assuming his MH issues are his iteration of Ramsey's exit strategy, or otherwise a MH issue that can be stabilized, assuming the other compensation is sufficient, you'd be okay with the deal?

I would be.  Physically, I agree completely with your assessment of Ridley.  I'd certainly take Ridley over Gallup and I like a healthy Gallup.

I'd be o.k. with it, if we were totally sure he was mentally fine and ready to play. I just don't see how we could get such assurances.

---

Nope, not cut off.  Just edited it.

Your concerns for Ridley's MH are certainly valid.

I think it's entirely possible they are legit MH issues and not a ruse for escaping a new coach (Smith) for whom he has antipathy.

But assuming his MH issues are his iteration of Ramsey's exit strategy, or otherwise a MH issue that can be stabilized, assuming the other compensation is sufficient, you'd be okay with the deal?

I would be.  Physically, I agree completely with your assessment of Ridley.  I'd certainly take Ridley over Gallup and I like a healthy Gallup.

I'd be o.k. with it, if we were totally sure he was mentally fine and ready to play. I just don't see how we could get such assurances.

Agreed, though under that rationale, I would have similar concerns about Lane Johnson.  But if we could get Lane Johnson for 2-3 seasons it might be worth the risk.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I would take Jameson at 3 so it would essentially be dropping down 2 spots to take a gamble on Ridley. I'd take that gamble.

---

I would take Jameson at 3 so it would essentially be dropping down 2 spots to take a gamble on Ridley. I'd take that gamble.

Two spots?  Explain please.

If Atlanta is picking 10th, it would be dropping back 9 spots....(7 if you are talking about picking Williams at 3).

Is there something I am missing in your analysis?

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I would rather trade back with Carolina to acquire Moore and their 1st rounder for #1.

I know the Panthers owner is pretty impatient so maybe he wants a new QB. Just need a disgruntled WR (although DJ doesn’t strike me as a guy wanting a trade)

---

Two spots?  Explain please.

If Atlanta is picking 10th, it would be dropping back 9 spots....(7 if you are talking about picking Williams at 3).

Is there something I am missing in your analysis?

I'm just saying that if I would be perfectly happy taking the person at 3 then trading to 10 wouldn't be any different as long as he is still there.

---

I would rather trade back with Carolina to acquire Moore and their 1st rounder for #1.

I know the Panthers owner is pretty impatient so maybe he wants a new QB. Just need a disgruntled WR (although DJ doesn’t strike me as a guy wanting a trade)

Aren't the Panthers picking like 6? DJ Moore is WAY too good to only move up 5 spots in a draft this weak. Maybe like 1/33 for 6/Moore.

---

Two spots?  Explain please.

If Atlanta is picking 10th, it would be dropping back 9 spots....(7 if you are talking about picking Williams at 3).

Is there something I am missing in your analysis?

I'm just saying that if I would be perfectly happy taking the person at 3 then trading to 10 wouldn't be any different as long as he is still there.

---

Gotcha.

That makes sense.

---

I would rather trade back with Carolina to acquire Moore and their 1st rounder for #1.

I know the Panthers owner is pretty impatient so maybe he wants a new QB. Just need a disgruntled WR (although DJ doesn’t strike me as a guy wanting a trade)

Although Moore would upgrade our WR corps, I have never been a huge fan of his.

I'm also not too crazy about trading with Carolina just on general principle.  But if they are 14th, that would be even riskier.  Williams would likely be off the board by then.

That said, they may well be willing to pay to move up to get their QB, assuming they didn't go after one of the vets.

Edit:  using the same mock draft simulator, Carolina is actually picking 6th, which obviously would be much better than 14th.  However, they have no 2nd, 3rd or 4th round picks thanks to the Sam Darnold and CJ Henderson trades.  They'd have far less to offer in trade this year than a team like Atlanta.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Two spots?  Explain please.

If Atlanta is picking 10th, it would be dropping back 9 spots....(7 if you are talking about picking Williams at 3).

Is there something I am missing in your analysis?

I'm just saying that if I would be perfectly happy taking the person at 3 then trading to 10 wouldn't be any different as long as he is still there.

---

I would rather trade back with Carolina to acquire Moore and their 1st rounder for #1.

I know the Panthers owner is pretty impatient so maybe he wants a new QB. Just need a disgruntled WR (although DJ doesn’t strike me as a guy wanting a trade)

Aren't the Panthers picking like 6? DJ Moore is WAY too good to only move up 5 spots in a draft this weak. Maybe like 1/33 for 6/Moore.

Wow. I didn’t know they were 6.

I would 100% do 1/33 for 6 and Moore.

---

UCF Jaguars, who used to post on this board, has a regular youtube feature and he proposed an interesting trade, which presumes we end up with the top overall pick once this weekend's games are over.

Under his hypothetical, having targets for Trevor would no longer be an issue, as we would trade back to ten with Atlanta, who would include WR Calvin Ridley in a package.

At ten, drafting WR Jameson Williams would make sense, and our WR group would look something like this

DJ Chark
Calvin Ridley
Jameson Williams
Laviska Shenault
Marvin Jones
Laquan Treadwell

This group looks a while lot better than this year's group.

This move would not be without risk.  Ridley left the Falcons due to mental health issues.  The Jaguars dealt CJ Henderson due to mental health issues.

But at least he has healthy ACLs, which is more than we could say for Godwin and Gallup.  If his head is on straight, he'd give Trevor a fast, experienced WR who can run good routes.

Adopting a trade would enable the team to allocate free agency money towards the OL and TE.

Thoughts?

Bullseye, a trade for Ridley is definitely something which would intrigue me. There are many mis-conceptions about "mental health" problems. Having many years of experience in this field, I have no doubt that with proper treatment a very high percentage (70-80%) of adults treated for depression/anxiety have very positive outcomes. I don't claim to know what Ridley's specific diagnosis is.
If the Jaguars were considering this trade (Ridley and pick 10 for our 1st pick), they would need to thoroughly evaluate Ridley (physically and emotionally) prior to making this deal. One good sign is that I've seen nothing in his past indicating he has a history of emotional or character concerns. 

Ridley is still relatively young and should have several very productive years ahead of him. He was arguably among the top 10 receivers following the 2020 season. I'd prefer him over players like D.J. Moore, Mike Williams and Christian Kirk. Godwin and Gallup will each be coming off of significant injuries and may not be 100% by the start of next season. Davante Adams is very unlikely to come here.

This trade is also very appealing since there really isn't a "slam-dunk" player to be taken with pick 1. Hutchinson, Thibodeaux and Neal should all be very good pros, but there are legitimate questions about whether they will be truly elite. The Jaguars would have many desirable options with the 10th pick. If they do not land Armstead (my top target) or franchise Robinson, one of the offensive linemen could be considered like Ekwonu or Kenyon Green due to their ability to play tackle or guard. Jameson Williams would be a good value here as would Kyle Hamilton or Sauce Gardner. Bottom line, if Ridley checks out o.k., I'd love this deal.

---

UCF Jaguars, who used to post on this board, has a regular youtube feature and he proposed an interesting trade, which presumes we end up with the top overall pick once this weekend's games are over.

Under his hypothetical, having targets for Trevor would no longer be an issue, as we would trade back to ten with Atlanta, who would include WR Calvin Ridley in a package.

At ten, drafting WR Jameson Williams would make sense, and our WR group would look something like this

DJ Chark
Calvin Ridley
Jameson Williams
Laviska Shenault
Marvin Jones
Laquan Treadwell

This group looks a while lot better than this year's group.

This move would not be without risk.  Ridley left the Falcons due to mental health issues.  The Jaguars dealt CJ Henderson due to mental health issues.

But at least he has healthy ACLs, which is more than we could say for Godwin and Gallup.  If his head is on straight, he'd give Trevor a fast, experienced WR who can run good routes.

Adopting a trade would enable the team to allocate free agency money towards the OL and TE.

Thoughts?

Bullseye, a trade for Ridley is definitely something which would intrigue me. There are many mis-conceptions about "mental health" problems. Having many years of experience in this field, I have no doubt that with proper treatment a very high percentage (70-80%) of adults treated for depression/anxiety have very positive outcomes. I don't claim to know what Ridley's specific diagnosis is.
If the Jaguars were considering this trade (Ridley and pick 10 for our 1st pick), they would need to thoroughly evaluate Ridley (physically and emotionally) prior to making this deal. One good sign is that I've seen nothing in his past indicating he has a history of emotional or character concerns. 

Ridley is still relatively young and should have several very productive years ahead of him. He was arguably among the top 10 receivers following the 2020 season. I'd prefer him over players like D.J. Moore, Mike Williams and Christian Kirk. Godwin and Gallup will each be coming off of significant injuries and may not be 100% by the start of next season. Davante Adams is very unlikely to come here.

This trade is also very appealing since there really isn't a "slam-dunk" player to be taken with pick 1. Hutchinson, Thibodeaux and Neal should all be very good pros, but there are legitimate questions about whether they will be truly elite. The Jaguars would have many desirable options with the 10th pick. If they do not land Armstead (my top target) or franchise Robinson, one of the offensive linemen could be considered like Ekwonu or Kenyon Green due to their ability to play tackle or guard. Jameson Williams would be a good value here as would Kyle Hamilton or Sauce Gardner. Bottom line, if Ridley checks out o.k., I'd love this deal.

Thanks for this perspective!

If you (you specifically and the board generally) do not mind a few follow up inquiries, I'd value your insights/subject matter expertise.

Assuming Ridley has MH issues-depression specifically-is it possible his depression is situational as opposed to a chemical imbalance?  In other words, is it the culmination of one or a series of external life events that is making him depressed (i.e. breakup, death of loved one, change of coaches, losing) as opposed to a chemical imbalance?

Is it possible any depression could have hybrid or multple causes like adverse situations as well as a chemical imbalance? 

Would CTE be a cause or aggravating factor?

How would these factors  determine his prognosis with treatment?  Is there such a thing as a "geographical" cure/solution-i.e. if he changes location, his outlook improves?

Not necessarily looking for a doctoral dissertation here, nor do I wish the board to be bogged down in medical/psycholoogical discourse or the subtleties of the DSM V, but I think exploration of these issues could help us determine on some superficial level whether players like Ridley, Johnson and/or Brown might be worth the risk.

As for the football portion of your post, I completely agree those players currently perceived as being at the top of the draft boards are generally not seen as "elite prospects."  Accordingly, I think for the Jaguars, the best use of this draft would be to get players that would enable our elite QB prospect to perform at a level much closer to his highest potential than he has this year.

If Trevor Lawrence is able to perform at a substantially higher level, he becomes the "rising tide that lifts all boats."  If the passing game is more of a threat, it forces more safeties out of the box, which frees things up for James Robinson/Etienne, or whatever healthy RB we might have.  If we are effective running and passing, it helps our OL become more effective blockers.  If we're playing with more leads, the defense performs better.

---

 

Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

UCF Jaguars, who used to post on this board, has a regular youtube feature and he proposed an interesting trade, which presumes we end up with the top overall pick once this weekend's games are over.

Under his hypothetical, having targets for Trevor would no longer be an issue, as we would trade back to ten with Atlanta, who would include WR Calvin Ridley in a package.

At ten, drafting WR Jameson Williams would make sense, and our WR group would look something like this

DJ Chark
Calvin Ridley
Jameson Williams
Laviska Shenault
Marvin Jones
Laquan Treadwell

This group looks a while lot better than this year's group.

This move would not be without risk.  Ridley left the Falcons due to mental health issues.  The Jaguars dealt CJ Henderson due to mental health issues.

But at least he has healthy ACLs, which is more than we could say for Godwin and Gallup.  If his head is on straight, he'd give Trevor a fast, experienced WR who can run good routes.

Adopting a trade would enable the team to allocate free agency money towards the OL and TE.

Thoughts?

I get nervous trading for a guy that's already walked away from the game on multiple occasions. While he'd be super cheap, there's always that risk that something you say or do on the sideline or practice field is going to be the thing that convinces him to step aside again.

If we move, I'd prefer to get more picks rather than acquire someone else's baggage.

---

Bullseye, a trade for Ridley is definitely something which would intrigue me. There are many mis-conceptions about "mental health" problems. Having many years of experience in this field, I have no doubt that with proper treatment a very high percentage (70-80%) of adults treated for depression/anxiety have very positive outcomes. I don't claim to know what Ridley's specific diagnosis is.
If the Jaguars were considering this trade (Ridley and pick 10 for our 1st pick), they would need to thoroughly evaluate Ridley (physically and emotionally) prior to making this deal. One good sign is that I've seen nothing in his past indicating he has a history of emotional or character concerns. 

Ridley is still relatively young and should have several very productive years ahead of him. He was arguably among the top 10 receivers following the 2020 season. I'd prefer him over players like D.J. Moore, Mike Williams and Christian Kirk. Godwin and Gallup will each be coming off of significant injuries and may not be 100% by the start of next season. Davante Adams is very unlikely to come here.

This trade is also very appealing since there really isn't a "slam-dunk" player to be taken with pick 1. Hutchinson, Thibodeaux and Neal should all be very good pros, but there are legitimate questions about whether they will be truly elite. The Jaguars would have many desirable options with the 10th pick. If they do not land Armstead (my top target) or franchise Robinson, one of the offensive linemen could be considered like Ekwonu or Kenyon Green due to their ability to play tackle or guard. Jameson Williams would be a good value here as would Kyle Hamilton or Sauce Gardner. Bottom line, if Ridley checks out o.k., I'd love this deal.

Thanks for this perspective!

If you (you specifically and the board generally) do not mind a few follow up inquiries, I'd value your insights/subject matter expertise.

Assuming Ridley has MH issues-depression specifically-is it possible his depression is situational as opposed to a chemical imbalance?  In other words, is it the culmination of one or a series of external life events that is making him depressed (i.e. breakup, death of loved one, change of coaches, losing) as opposed to a chemical imbalance?

Is it possible any depression could have hybrid or multple causes like adverse situations as well as a chemical imbalance? 

Would CTE be a cause or aggravating factor?

How would these factors  determine his prognosis with treatment?  Is there such a thing as a "geographical" cure/solution-i.e. if he changes location, his outlook improves?

Not necessarily looking for a doctoral dissertation here, nor do I wish the board to be bogged down in medical/psycholoogical discourse or the subtleties of the DSM V, but I think exploration of these issues could help us determine on some superficial level whether players like Ridley, Johnson and/or Brown might be worth the risk.

As for the football portion of your post, I completely agree those players currently perceived as being at the top of the draft boards are generally not seen as "elite prospects."  Accordingly, I think for the Jaguars, the best use of this draft would be to get players that would enable our elite QB prospect to perform at a level much closer to his highest potential than he has this year.

If Trevor Lawrence is able to perform at a substantially higher level, he becomes the "rising tide that lifts all boats."  If the passing game is more of a threat, it forces more safeties out of the box, which frees things up for James Robinson/Etienne, or whatever healthy RB we might have.  If we are effective running and passing, it helps our OL become more effective blockers.  If we're playing with more leads, the defense performs better.

Your questions regarding mental health problems as they relate to Ridley are excellent. You did hit on the most common causes of depression/anxiety such as chemical imbalance and situational factors (triggers) such as family problems or suffering a recent loss. I believe Ridley did refer to family matters without being specific. As far as CTE, one of the symptoms is often depression. I have no idea, however, whether this applies to Ridley. Like most NFL players, he has been taken out of games due to hits to the head however there is no evidence that this has happened often. As far as "geographical" cure, I am skeptical about this. If someone has a significant mental health issue, the problem doesn't just go away when they move. That being said, many people can benefit by a change of scenery and that includes athletes. Regarding treatment, the most common ones are therapy/counseling and medication. If the depression is severe, a combination of these two treatments is most effective. Many people do not need to remain on medication for depression, however it initially can correct the chemical imbalance which was triggered by a significant adverse event. I am sure the Jaguars would do a thorough examination prior to considering a trade.

On the football side, I couldn't agree more that the top priority for the Jaguars during the off-season is to make moves which can help Lawrence eventually reach his extremely high potential. It starts with firing Baalke and replacing him with someone with an excellent history of evaluating talent. The new coach needs to be someone Lawrence could thrive with- preferably one with expertise on the offensive side of the ball. Free agency and the draft should prioritize the receiving position (including tight end) and offensive line. The trade for a "healthy" Ridley would be a great start. In my perfect scenario, the Jaguars add Terron Armstead in free agency in addition to an interior lineman such as Laken Tomlinson or a rookie like Ekwonu, Kinnard or Linderbaum. In addition to Ridley, they re-sign Chark and draft another receiver in round 3. The wide receiver class is extremely deep and there are likely to be some excellent options like Jalen Tolbert, Justyn Ross and Wan'Dale Robinson available in this round. Finally, I make it a priority to target Trey McBride at tight end. Admittedly, he is my number one draft "crush" due to his difference making possibilities. He has no real weaknesses as he is an excellent blocker and has a knack for getting open. He may not have the top 40 time amongst tight ends, but he is fast enough that Lawrence could rely on him to get open and most importantly hold onto the ball. He rarely, if ever, drops passes which would be a welcome change around here.

---

Why would Atlanta want to do this deal? So they can offload Ridley and get a slightly better player at #1? To be honest I'm not sure there is a huge difference between 1 and 10 from our perspective other than it feels better to take a WR at 10 than it does at 1. If Ridley has mental health issues, don't think we need that on our team. If he doesn't have mental health issues and is pouting because he is unhappy, not sure we need that either. If he isn't happy in Atlanta, can't imagine he'll be much happier in Jacksonville.

If he was to pass a totally clean bill of health and there was absolutely no concern to his well being or commitment to playing his best in jacksonville, I think this would be a no brainer of a trade.

---

________________________________________________
Scouting well is all that matters.  Draft philosophy is all fluff.