Former 1st-Round Pick Laquon Treadwell Reportedly Released by Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons released wide receiver Laquon Treadwell on Saturday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This is another setback for Treadwell, whom the Minnesota Vikings selected 23rd in the 2016 draft. He caught 65 passes for 701 yards and two touchdowns in 53 games with the team.

The Falcons signed the 25-year-old in March.

Saturday's move doesn't come as a shock. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter listed Treadwell as a long shot to make the team's final 53-man roster.

Still, Atlanta was seemingly a good fit for Treadwell. The presence of Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley meant he wasn't going to be one of the top options in the passing game, but he could've rebuilt his value in a supporting role before hitting the market again in 2021.

Instead, the former Ole Miss star is a free agent again.

The absence of a traditional preseason likely hurt Treadwell. The COVID-19 pandemic meant he didn't have any games to demonstrate how he might fit with the Falcons beyond his reps on the practice field.

Treadwell's age and first-round status will likely grant him another shot in the league. His brief tenure in Atlanta shows how much he still needs to prove, though, to turn his career around.