Titans' Calvin Ridley Experiment Has Been a Failure

While the Tennessee Titans seem to be resting a few players ahead of the trade deadline, wide receiver Calvin Ridley is not one of them. He's been out of action since Week 6 when he played just six snaps against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tennessee knew they were taking a chance on Ridley when they gave him $92 million heading into the 2024 season. After he missed the entire 2022 season due to suspension, Ridley put up eight touchdowns and had a 1,000 yard season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023.

Now, they're stuck with a receiver that looks like a shell of himself. Sure, he had 1,017 yards last season with quarterback Will Levis, but something is just not clicking between him and rookie signal caller Cam Ward. It seems highly unlikely that any team would want to trade for the 30-year-old, but the Titans need to move on.

Titans Should Explore Trade Options

Aug 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter during a preseason game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Seeing as Ridley is set to miss his third straight game, there's no point in not testing the waters. Ridley, 30, is nowhere near the same player he was during his time in Atlanta. The former first-round pick's career seemed to be getting back on track after his 2022 snafu, but clearly that isn't the case.

After what some would call a stellar 2023 and 2024, the Titans have a shot to point out Ridley's numbers and prove to a team he's worth the contract. According to Spotrac, Ridley does have a potential out in 2026. That would turn his deal into a two-year, $51 million pact, but leaves $16M in dead cap. That's a high number for the Titans to take on, and it's not like they have many other options at wide receiver.

Rookies Run This Offense

Oct 19, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) makes a catch against the New England Patriots during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

If for some reason the Titans decide to trade both Ridley and running back Tony Pollard, this offense would run through its rookies. Ward has already begun making a strong connection with rookie wideouts Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, and he's beginning to find rookie tight end Gunnar Helm more often.

While RB Tyjae Spears isn't exactly a rookie, the 24-year-old has shown bursts since coming off IR that may make the team realize they no longer need Pollard. Getting rid of Ridley would mostly be due to saving money, but getting rid of Pollard would be a truly questionable decision. Ward can move forward without Ridley, but there's no reason for the Titans to remove any of the team's other offensive weapons on their roster.

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