Atlanta Falcons LISTEN: Will Calvin Ridley Ever Return?

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been away from the team for three weeks, meaning the Atlanta Falcons can activate him from the non-football injury list. But head coach Arthur Smith saddened a lot of fans during Monday's press conference when he didn't have an answer as to when the former Pro Bowler would come back.

And the sadness, of course, isn't just about football, as the concern here regards Ridley's mental health.

Ridley's absence is certainly felt on the field. The Falcons have not scored a touchdown in either of the last two games. With Cordarrelle Patterson out recently with an ankle injury, the Falcons lack a dynamic playmaker at the receiver position, limiting the potential on offense.

Hopefully Ridley can overcome the mental health struggles he is facing soon and return to the field to help the Falcons in the latter part of the year.

But of course, the longer Ridley is away, the more intense becomes the question: When will he be OK ... OK enough to return to football?

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman reacts to the lack of updates on Ridley's ongoing absence for mental health reasons and not knowing when he'll make his triumphant return to the Atlanta Falcons lineup.

He also discusses the lack of updates on swing tackle Matt Gono's (undisclosed/neck) status, leading him to discuss his potential future in Atlanta, as well as what plans the Falcons may have in store along the offensive line. That of course leads to the inevitable discussion of the team's current starters at right tackle and left guard in Kaleb McGary and Jalen Mayfield, and whether or not the team will express patience in developing them further in 2022 or look to upgrade either spot next offseason.

Then, he breaks down the loss of punter Dustin Colquitt to the reserve/COVID-19 list and how that potentially impacts their matchup in Wek 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.