Calvin Ridley surprised many in the NFL world when he signed with the Tennessee Titans instead of the expected destination, the Jacksonville Jaguars, in 2024. The Titans offered him a four-year, $92 million contract after a reported bidding war with Jacksonville and New England. Jacksonville had opted not to extend Ridley’s contract after the 2023 season, leading to his free agency.
With salary cap space to spare, Tennessee saw the opportunity to upgrade their wide receiver corps by signing Ridley. Titans head coach Brian Callahan praised Ridley’s talent, route running, speed, and personality, and expressed excitement about having him on the team. The move to sign Ridley also disrupted Jacksonville’s plans at the position, as they had made aggressive efforts to replace him and enhance their receiving options.
During his time with the Jaguars, Ridley had a productive season, leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. Jacksonville made moves to strengthen their receiving corps by signing Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay in free agency and drafting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round. Paired with established players like Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, these new additions will provide quarterback Trevor Lawrence with a strong group of pass-catching options in 2024 and beyond.