As the second day of the NFL’s legal tampering period gets underway, one of the biggest surprises is that dynamic wide receiver Calvin Ridley is still available. In a whirlwind of moves that saw 31 teams make moves, Ridley was not one of them.
As teams change gears and get ready to take on Day 2 of the free agent action, one could expect that Ridley’s market will heat up if it hasn’t already. The top wide receiver left on the open market surely will not spend much more time without a team, and we discuss below some fits that may make sense.
Calvin Ridley Free Agency Landing Spots
A Return to Jacksonville Still in Play?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday morning that Ridley prefers a return to Jacksonville and has been discussing a new deal with the Jaguars.
If the Jaguars are interested in bringing Ridley back, then they’ll wait until free agency officially begins on Wednesday afternoon to avoid giving up greater draft capital to the Falcons as part of the Ridley trade in 2022.
The Jaguars already sent the Falcons a 2023 fifth-round pick in the trade, but the final piece they owe them is a 2024 conditional third-round draft pick. That third-round pick gets upgraded to a second-round pick however if the Jaguars sign Ridley to a new contract before the new league year begins on March 13th at 4:00 pm EST.
Ridley Could Be Exactly What the Patriots Need
Questions are leading up to the draft regarding what the New England Patriots should do with the No. 3 overall pick.
The overwhelming consensus is that they will, and should, take one of the three top quarterbacks that will be available to them and build for their future. Adding Ridley to the mix makes that situation far easier to do.
A playmaker as accomplished as Ridley on the outside will make whoever is their next QB far more comfortable, and whether it is a veteran like Jacoby Brissett in year one, or they opt to go with the rookie right away, having talent around them can only help.
The Patriots are one of the top three teams in the league when it comes to cap space, so money shouldn’t be an issue. If they want him, they should go out and make it happen and start the new era in Foxborough with a bang.
Ridley a Good Fit in the Music City
The Tennessee Titans have been trying to find a game-breaking wide receiver for what feels like years at this point. With the addition of DeAndre Hopkins last season, it’s clear they are unafraid to dive into the free-agent waters to find the help.
New head coach Brian Callahan comes from Cincinnati where he is used to having legit outside threats to throw the ball to, and dropping Ridley into the mix for his new team can help add a bit of the same feel in Nashville.
They just signed Tony Pollard in free agency as they move on from Derrick Henry, and as Day 2 gets underway, the pairing of Ridley and the Titans may make too much sense to ignore.
Ridley Could Put Lions Over the Top
The Detroit Lions are a good football team. Well-coached, with elite-level talent all over the field. Adding Ridley to the mix here would act as an all-in move. The Lions had the San Francisco 49ers against the ropes in the NFC Championship Game and if it wasn’t for some mistakes down the stretch, they very easily could’ve been the NFC representative in this year’s Super Bowl.
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Adding Ridley to a group that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams will spell trouble for defenses across the league. Adding Ridley isn’t a need for the Lions, they have talent and enough to compete. However, this would be a move to show that they mean business and will be a team that the league will have to worry about for years to come.
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