Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley appears primed to reach free agency when the legal tampering window opens on Monday. A slew of receivers such as Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, and Michael Pittman Jr. signed extensions or were slapped with the franchise tag earlier this week. Ridley wasn't one of them.
Ridley didn't quite meet expectations this past season, finishing with 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley before Monday, the 2024 third-round pick they currently owe the Atlanta Falcons will convert to a second-rounder. This has likely impacted Jacksonville's decision.
Ridley qualifies as an intriguing reclamation project that's capable of recording 1,300-plus receiving yards. Ridley can be a go-to target for an NFL passing offense. We've swiftly identified three potential fits in free agency.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The Patriots are expected to draft a new franchise quarterback with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy is Boston-bound. New head coach Jerod Mayo has to ensure that the rookie quarterback has a go-to receiver to throw the ball to.
Bill Belichick's faltering offense averaged a 28th-ranked 180.5 passing yards per contest. Rookie sixth-rounder DeMario Douglas led the team in receiving with 561 yards. That represented the lowest output of any team-leading receiver around the league.
A legitimate No. 1 receiver is desperately required in Foxboro. Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, and Mike Gesicki are among the free-agent pass catchers that aren't expected back. Ridley could help ease the transition a rookie signal-caller will face.
TENNESSEE TITANS
The Titans are entering free agency in search of playmaking weapons opposite DeAndre Hopkins. Whether that occurs through their $85 million in cap space or via the 2024 NFL Draft remains a mystery. There is however a fairly sizable connection linking Ridley to the Titans.
New offensive coordinator Nick Holz was Ridley's passing-game coordinator in Jacksonville last season. Did Holz enjoy working alongside Ridley? Would he clamor for the Titans to sign him? That's a question only Holz knows the answer to.
Head coach Brian Callahan is an aggressive offensive-minded leader who wants to surround Will Levis with talent. Tennessee’s offense is going to look significantly different under Callahan than it did under Mike Vrabel. Signing Ridley would give Levis two proven pass-catching threats. The Titans may monitor how Ridley's market develops.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Marquise Brown is an unrestricted free agent and doesn't appear slated to re-sign with the Cardinals after totaling a career-low 574 receiving yards. Kyler Murray's nine-game absence certainly played a role, but the Cardinals won't be pleased after averaging 184.9 pass yards per game last season—which ranked 26th in the league.
General manager Monti Ossenfort is flushed with draft capital, but he needs to add some proven playmakers to his pass-catching corps, too. Ascending inexperienced receivers like Trey McBride and Michael Wilson are already present. Murray would appreciate having an established veteran lining up on the boundary. It's time for the rebuilding Cardinals to start taking steps forward. Ossenfort should aggressively pursue upgrades at receiver in free agency.