The Atlanta Falcons were one of the most surprising teams of the 2021 season. Expectations for this team were on the floor as they entered the campaign, but the Falcons managed to earn a respectable 7-10 record. Atlanta was one the cusp of making the playoffs for a couple of weeks, only to just miss out on the final Wild Card spot to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons and general manager Terry Fontenot will be looking to make some moves to push the team over the hump and into the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Here are the three moves the Falcons must make during the 2022 NFL offseason.

3 Moves Falcons Must Make This Offseason

3. Trade Calvin Ridley

Trading one of the best players isn't typically regarded as a great move, but it's time for both Ridley and the organization to move on. There have been rumors of Ridley's unhappiness ever since early in the 2021 season, and he's taking up a huge chunk of Atlanta's cap space. Moving him would give the Falcons more flexibility in free agency while acquiring premiere draft picks in the process.

Ridley is still an elite receiver, so Atlanta should get a great return in a trade for him. There are plenty of potential trade partners, such as the Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots. All of those teams would likely be willing to part with at least a first-round pick to acquire Ridley. If given the opportunities, the Falcons should absolutely move Ridley for a first and a couple mid-round picks.

2. Draft Safety Kyle Hamilton

The Falcons have holes all over their roster, but one of the biggest comes at safety. Atlanta relied on Duron Harmon and Erik Harris at the position in 2021, but both are free agents above the age of 30. 2021 second-round pick Richie Grant will take one spot, but there's no one on the roster good enough to fill in opposite him.

Enter Kyle Hamilton. The Notre Dame safety is a one-of-a-kind prospect, and the Falcons would be lucky to see him fall to the eighth pick. He can play near the line of scrimmage, in a high safety role, or in a two-deep alignment. Hamilton is also a great ballhawk who can create plenty of turnovers for an Atlanta defense that sorely needs them. If the Falcons do manage to get their hands on him, they'd be locking in a top-five player in the 2022 draft to their roster.

1. Draft Matt Ryan's Successor

Quarterback Matt Ryan has had a fantastic career, but there's no denying that he's well past his prime. The Boston College product is already 36 years old, so it's fair to wonder how many years he has left in him. The Falcons don't have any sort of plan for when Ryan inevitably retires, which means constructing one should be high on the to-do list. The 2022 draft is the perfect opportunity to solve the problem once and for all.

It's unlikely that Atlanta is willing to use the eighth overall pick on a quarterback. There are just too many roster holes that need filling to justify that move. Instead, the Falcons should look to the second round or beyond for a signal-caller. There should be several options available, including Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral and Nevada gunslinger Carson Strong. Both need to add a ton of polish to their game before they actually see the field, making Atlanta the perfect landing spot. Taking care of the quarterback position this offseason would help the Falcons avoid a potential disaster later down the road.