A significant addition has been made to the Tennessee Titans’ wide receiver group.
The Tennessean was informed by a source with knowledge of the negotiations that Calvin Ridley will sign a four-year contract with the Titans worth up to $92 million.
In his six-year NFL career, Ridley has two seasons with 1,000 yards receiving, including the past two where he was a regular starter.
The unique narrative of Ridley’s NFL career includes an indefinite leave of absence, a one-year ban, and a comeback to the top of the receiving corps.
The Atlanta Falcons selected Ridley with the 26th overall choice in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he had an instant impact alongside Mohamed Sanu and Julio Jones. With Jones sidelined by injuries, Ridley assumed the position of top receiver in the Falcons offense after two seasons with at least 800 receiving yards. The Alabama graduate, who recorded a career-high 1,374 receiving yards, was named to the AP All-Pro Second Team.
As the Falcons’ undeniable top receiving option, Ridley was projected to receive the majority of targets in 2021 with Jones leaving Atlanta to join the Titans. That was not the case.
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Through the end of the 2020 campaign, Ridley struggled with a foot issue that required the use of medicines to get through 15 games. According to a letter he posted on The Players Tribune, Ridley has a broken foot, which the Falcons’ recently appointed personnel discovered during an inspection in 2021. In October 2021, Ridley stepped away from the Falcons indefinitely, citing mental health, according to his Players Tribune letter. He cited this decision as a result of the pressure to be healthy for the season and to fulfill personal family obligations. He was sidelined for the remainder of 2021.
After making a comeback, Ridley used the $11.1 million fifth-year option on his rookie contract in 2023. Even though he didn’t immediately reclaim his position as the Jaguars’ top receiver, Ridley eventually gained 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Against the Titans, he recorded two receiving games with 100 yards. This spring, Ridley cemented himself as a top free agent pass-catcher and a major receiving option, even though Jacksonville faltered late in the game and missed the playoffs.
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