Calvin Ridley Explains Why He Signed With the Titans Over the Jaguars
Former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley held court in Nashville for the first time on Friday. And unsurprisingly, the veteran wideout had a lot to say.
Ridley left Jacksonville on Wednesday, signing a four-year, $92 million deal with the Titans with $50 million in guarantees -- clearly a deal the Jaguars weren't willing to offer.
And, as expected, money was a clear emphasis in Ridley's first comments as a Titan. It wasn't the only subject, with factors such as DeAndre Hopkins and fit in the two offenses coming up as well.
"I know that D-Hop's here -- and I know that I wanted to play with another receiver on the other side that could help me do what I do best. I know that they had a really good defense and were upcoming and stuff. I was looking into it," Ridley said.
"I really wanted to be with the Jags, but there's a lot of things that wasn't working out for me and then I think the Titans had that other side for me, so I chose the Titans. Obviously, the money was pretty good, so I went with that."
But it was also clear that money alone didn't play into Ridley seeking a new team at the start of free agency. The Jaguars were never going to sign Ridley before Wednesday due to their trade details with the Atlanta Falcons. This timing, along with how Ridley saw himself in each offense, clearly played a role behind the large guaranteed and per-year figures.
"Jacksonville, they have a lot of weapons over there and sometimes when I was there, I was like, feeling a little weird because I was always someone who wants the ball and I want to crack the game for us," Ridley said. "I want to be the guy who's, you know -- keep me into the game all game. So, I was like, really, coming over here and I want to do my thing, take over. I want to bring this team, shoot this team through the roof in any way I can to help."
Ridley recorded the second 1,000-yard season in his career in 2023, catching 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. He also made it through the entire season healthy, starting all 17 games after serving a season-long suspension in 2022 and missing most of the 2021 season.
Ultimately, the Jaguars traded a fifth-round and a third-round pick for one season of Ridley. Now, they will march forward with a wide receiver room consisting of Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, Zay Jones, Devin Duvernay, Parker Washington, Tim Jones, and Elijah Cooks.
