Calvin Ridley was the top wide receiver on the market heading into free agency, and the Tennessee Titans won the sweepstakes by landing him on a four-year, $92 million contract.
The deal was heavily scrutinized by many. Some questioned if Ridley was worth the money. Others wondered what exactly the rebuilding Titans were trying to achieve with the move.
That being said, it’s hard to hate on Tennessee for trying to improve its offense and make life easier for second-year quarterback Will Levis, who will be entering his first full season as the starter.
Still, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports thinks there is a lot riding on the 2024 campaign for Ridley.
In a piece where Benjamin named the non-quarterbacks under the most pressure heading into next season, he had Ridley as one of only two wide outs in the list.
“Even though his Jacksonville Jaguars debut in 2023 proved more streaky than special, Ridley commanded top dollar this offseason, securing $23 million per year from Tennessee going on 30,” Benjamin wrote. “That’s a sizable bet for a team that just last season looked years away from truly competing.”
Did the Titans really make a mistake here?
I’m going to be honest: I love what the Titans did this offseason.
Yes, they went 6-11 in 2023 and were clearly the worst team in the AFC South. However, they didn’t just add Ridley. They also landed fellow wide out Tyler Boyd, giving the team a rather fearsome receiving corps that includes DeAndre Hopkins, as well.
Plus, Tennessee bolstered its offensive line by signing the top center on the market in Lloyd Cushenberry while selecting offensive tackle JC Latham with its first-round draft pick.
Additionally, the Titans replaced aging running back Derrick Henry with Tony Pollard and swung a blockbuster trade to acquire cornerback L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Obviously, much of Tennessee’s 2024 success depends on Levis, who was not exactly inspiring in his nine starts last season. But that’s why supplying him with pieces like Ridley is important.
For all of the talk about Ridley’s struggles with the Jaguars last year, he still manage to haul in 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. Yes, he had some drops, but he remained very productive.
There is always the chance that the Titans may end up regretting the pact they made with Calvin Ridley, but it could also help vault them into playoff contention.
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