NFL Officially Reinstates Jaguars' Calvin Ridley

The former first-round pick is now allowed inside of TIAA Bank Field with the rest of his new teammates.

Calvin Ridley is back.

The NFL officially reinstated the Jacksonville Jaguars' new star receiver on Monday, ending a year-long suspension.

"Ridley, who had been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, is eligible to participate in all team activities, effective immediately," the NFL said in a release. 

Ridley is now officially a member of the Jaguars' 90-man offseason active roster.

“Today's reinstatement by the NFL brings an end to a challenging chapter of my professional career, one that was self-inflicted and began with an isolated lapse in judgement," Ridley said in a statement. 

"I have always owned my mistakes and this is no different. I have great respect for the game and am excited for the opportunity to restart my career in Jacksonville. I look forward to showing my new coaches, teammates, and the entire Jaguars organization exactly who I am and what I represent as a player and person.”

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.

“The Jaguars organization is aware of the NFL’s ruling to reinstate Calvin Ridley. We look forward to building a relationship with Calvin as both an individual and as a player," the Jaguars said.

"Calvin is a proven playmaker and we are excited to see him compete among and with his new teammates, first during our Offseason Program in April and ultimately into the 2023 season, as we collectively pursue a championship for Jacksonville.”