If Calvin Ridley winds up staying with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots fans probably can blame the Massachusetts tax burden.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the 29-year-old was the top receiver set to hit free agency. And a new report indicates he could be nearing a new deal with the Jaguars.
Why Calvin Ridley Reportedly Prefers Jaguars Over Patriots
With the Ridley sweepstakes dominating headlines ahead of Wednesday’s official start to NFL free agency, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones offered an interesting update on the star receiver.
“With 4 hours before the officially start of the new league year, Calvin Ridley remains the top free-agent WR,” Jones wrote on the X platform. “With offers from the Patriots and Jaguars, current sense is Ridley will sign back w/ Jags on deal that would equal or best Pats’ when considering taxes & cost of living.”
MassLive’s Mark Daniels countered with this report:
“The Patriots currently don’t have a sense if Calvin Ridley is returning to Jacksonville. They have what they feel is a competitive offer on the table. As of right now, this is a ‘wait and see’ situation, per source.”
It’s fair to look at these reports and wonder whether Ridley’s agents are using reporters — and the Patriots — as leverage to drive up his price tag. This is NFL free agency, after all.
Still, it’s easy to believe Jones’ report about Ridley prioritizing a landing spot with a lower cost of living. Massachusetts carries a significantly higher tax burden than Florida, which is one of the few states that doesn’t impose an income tax.
Massachusetts also has a generally higher cost of living, per U.S. News & World Report.
Why Wednesday Deadline So Important in Ridley Sweepstakes
There’s another factor in play, and it relates to the 2022 trade that sent Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons to the Jaguars.
If Jacksonville re-signs Ridley before 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday (the official start of free agency), the Jaguars will need to send a second-round pick to Atlanta. But if Ridley signs after the deadline, the compensation will be just a third-rounder.
So, the Jaguars have zero reason to re-sign Ridley before the deadline, unless they truly fear he could sign with New England at any moment. In the meantime, Ridley could be using the Patriots to drive up the price with an eye toward signing with Jacksonville on Wednesday afternoon.
It’s simply smart, strategic business for Calvin Ridley to wait until 4 p.m. It creates urgency and the potential for any team to increase its offer with all sides aware of the deadline. And if he stays, he helps the Jags keep a higher draft pick.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 13, 2024
No matter which way you slice it, this doesn’t look good for New England. Ridley’s interest in remaining with the Jaguars appears to be real, and the Patriots might be forced to make a dramatic overpay to convince him to leave Jacksonville.
KEEP READING: Top Free Agent Wide Receivers 2024
With all that said, all free agency rumors should be taken with a grain of salt. Let’s wait and see what happens.
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