The Los Angeles Rams were unable to work out a trade for veteran wide receiver DeSean Jackson ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline, and chose to release him on Wednesday. After clearing waivers, Jackson is free to sign with any team.
So, why not Atlanta? The Falcons’ No. 1 receiver, Calvin Ridley, is out for an indefinite period of time. Russell Gage has been dinged up all year and thus far not as productive as he was in 2020, and Kyle Pitts — while he can play out wide — is a better mismatch when’s free to move around.
During the team’s Week 8 loss to the Panthers, Pitts caught just of two of six targets for 13 yards. In comparison, the rookie tight end had 16 catches for 282 receiving yards combined over the previous two games. Clearly, Pitts is more effective with weapons around him that can stretch the field.
