Jaguars' Calvin Ridley Reveals What Jersey Number He Desires in 2023

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley took a major step on Wednesday, applying for reinstatement to the NFL after being suspended indefinitely during the 2022 season.

With Ridley now as close to returning to the field as he has been since 2021, the former Atlanta Falcons first-round pick and Alabama Crimson Tide star has given some insight into the kind of look he envisions in Jacksonville.

In a response to a fan's question on Twitter on whether he would wear No. 18 like he did in Atlanta, Ridley said he wants to wear No. 3 as a Jaguar.

Naw wanna wear 3
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) February 15, 2023

No. 3 has been taken the last two years by backup quarterback CJ Beathard, who just happens to be a unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Ridley joined the Jaguars' roster after the Jaguars made a deal for him at last year's trade deadline, though the veteran receiver is not permitted to make official contact with the team until he is reinstated by the NFL.

With his contract pausing through the suspension, Ridley did not cost the Jaguars anything in 2022. He is set to play on the fifth year of his rookie contract in 2023, worth $11.116 million.

If Ridley is reinstated, the deal will include the 2023 fifth-rounder, but if he isn’t, then it will turn into a sixth-round pick. The 2024 pick will be at least a fourth-rounder if Ridley makes the team. If he hits a play-time milestone, it’ll be a third-rounder. But, if the Jaguars are able to get a long-term deal done, it will be a second-rounder.

Ridley, the No. 26 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, caught 217 passes for 3,061 yards and 26 touchdowns in his first three seasons. He played in five games in 2021 before stepping away from the team, catching 31 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.