Calvin Ridley was widely expected to be a Jaguar in 2024 and beyond before he shocked the NFL world by signing with Jacksonville’s AFC South rival, Tennessee, roughly an hour into free agency in March.
The Titans swooped in and inked Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract after a reported bidding war between Jacksonville and New England appeared to be leaning in the Jaguars’ direction.
Jacksonville decided against extending Ridley’s contract immediately following the 2023 season, allowing him to test the free agency waters and the team to hold onto its second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft as part of its trade conditions with Atlanta for Ridley’s services.
With ample salary cap space available, Tennessee seized the opportunity to upgrade its wide receiver corps and simultaneously throw a wrench in its rivals’ plans at the position.
Titans head coach Brian Callahan said as much during an appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast Tuesday.
“I believe in everything he’s about. He’s a pro’s pro and he’s got real talent. He’s one of the better route runners I’ve ever been around. Really sudden, really fast, really explosive and, on top of it, he’s a great personality,” Callahan said.
“To have him here and be able to steal him from a division rival makes it a little sweeter in that regard. I love having Calvin and I think he’s really gonna help us.”
During his lone season with the Jaguars, following over a year removed from football due to a gambling suspension and cited mental health reasons, Ridley caught 76 passes for a team-leading 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
Jacksonville aggressively attempted to replace Ridley and upgrade its wide receiver room across the board this offseason, signing former Buffalo receiver Gabe Davis and former Baltimore receiver/return specialist Devin Duvernay in free agency and selecting receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the NFL draft.
The trio, paired with seasoned Jaguars, receiver Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram, will comprise freshly-extended quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s arsenal of pass-catching weapons in 2024 and likely beyond.