In 2023, the Jaguars had a disastrous finish to their season. After beginning the yr 8-3, Jacksonville misplaced 5 of their final six video games. They misplaced an essential recreation in Week 18 to the Titans and missed out on successful the division and the playoffs. This offseason, there may be one key free agent who nonetheless hasn’t re-signed with the group but.
Calvin Ridley began his profession with the Falcons. The 29-year-old bumped into some authorized points with the league and was compelled to overlook all the 2022 season. That season, Ridley was traded from Atlanta to Jacksonville. Ridley’s 2023 marketing campaign was his first with the Jaguars. Now, he’s a free agent this offseason and has two groups with curiosity. Will Ridley re-sign with the Jaguars or will he be poached and signal with the New England Patriots?
Are the Jaguars or Patriots extra prone to signal Calvin Ridley this offseason?
“The message the Jaguars are sending by signing Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay is that they’re not bringing Calvin Ridley again..
He has a market and I do know that New England desires him” ~ @mlombardiNFL #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/jy9ZUzY0Gj
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 13, 2024
There are a number of explanation why Calvin Ridley hasn’t already re-signed with the Jaguars. First, they signed WRs Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay as free brokers this offseason. That’s on high of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones already within the WR room plus others. Somebody would be the odd man out and that could possibly be Ridley. Moreover, the Jaguars won’t have the cash to pay Ridley a long-term deal. They’ve signed a couple of free brokers and re-signed a couple of of their gamers this offseason.
At the moment, the Jags have roughly $5 million to work with in cap house after all of the strikes they’ve already made. Except Ridley is keen to take a pay minimize, Jacksonville should clear up more cash. Final season, the veteran WR performed on a fifth-year possibility picked up by the Falcons in 2021. It was price $11.1 million. At this stage in his profession, Ridley is probably going on the lookout for a long-term deal. The Jaguars are in a state of affairs the place they don’t have the cash to resign the gifted WR.
Let’s say Calvin Ridley goes again to Jacksonville for ~ $20M. Which means their WR room consists of:
Calvin Ridley: $20MChristian Kirk: $18MGabe Davis: $13MZay Jones: $8MEvan Engram at TE: $13.75M
That’s quite a lot of funding at talent positions even with TLaw on a rookie deal
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) March 13, 2024
In 17 video games began and performed for the Jaguars in 2023, Calvin Ridley had 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the group in receiving yards final season and was second in receptions. Christain Kirk would have been a much bigger a part of their offensive recreation plan however he missed 5 video games because of damage. If the Jags can not re-sign Ridley, there’s one other group with actual curiosity in Ridley. The New England Patriots have $60 million in cap house to work with this offseason. That’s greater than sufficient to signal Ridely to a brand new long-term deal.
On high of all this, draft compensation comes into play for Ridley as nicely. If Ridley indicators with the Jags earlier than 4:00 p.m. EST at the moment, Jacksonville owes the Falcons a second-round decide. Anytime after that, the Jags will owe the Falcons a third-round decide as a substitute of a second. We’ll have to attend and see if the Jags can get a deal accomplished with Ridley this offseason. As of now, Jacksonville and New England are the highest two suitors for Ridley.
