After a standout season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, star wide receiver Calvin Ridley decided to take his talents to the Tennessee Titans. As Ridley prepares to play under head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans' lead man couldn't be more amped to get the wide receiver into his offense.
Callahan is obviously well aware of what Ridley brings to the table from a moving the ball perspective. But being able to steal him away from the Jaguars adds an extra level of excitement for the head coach, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
“I believe in everything he's about. He's a pros pro. He's got real talent, he's one of the better route runners I've been around. Really sudden, really fast, really explosive. On top of it he has a great personality. To be able to steal him from a division rival certainly makes it a little sweeter. I love having Calvin, I think he's really going to help us.”
The Titans won the AFC South both in 2020 and 2021 while earning a Wild Card spot in 2019. Jacksonville stole their thunder in 2022 while the Houston Texans revival proved successful in 2023. Tennessee knows that the competition has only gotten stronger and that winning the South will be a marathon.
But taking a bite out of the Jaguars' offense will certainly help. The Titans split their two matchups against Ridley's former team in 2023. With a new vision in place, Tennessee wants to reclaim their crown.
While it'll hurt the Jags, Callahan is ultimately more concerned with how Calvin Ridley performs on the Jaguars. Brian Callahan wasn't with the team in 2023, however numerous Tennessee defenders are well aware of what the wide receiver adds to the offense. From enemy to comrade, Callahan can't wait for Ridley to don his Titans uniform.
What Calvin Ridley brings to Titans
Ridley missed the entire 2022 season as he served his suspension for breaking the NFL's gambling policy. But in his return to Jacksonville, it didn't take long for him to prove he was re-focused and ready to dominate on the gridiron once more.
Starting all 17 games, Ridley caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. His numbers only trailed that of his 2020 campaign, in which Ridley caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine scores. Ridley's 2023 campaign moved his career numbers to 324 receptions for 4,358 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Looking at the 2023 campaign alone, Ridley would've led the Titans in receptions and touchdowns while ranking just behind DeAndre Hopkins in receiving yards. But Hopkins was the only player in Tennessee to gain 600+ yards in 2023. Tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo had 528 yards while Chris Moore gained 424. Still, it was clear that the Titans were in need of desperate need of receiving help entering the 2024 campaign.
Now playing next to Hopkins, Calvin Ridley will help form one of the scariest one-two wide receiver punches in the league. If Will Levis can run the offense well enough to facilitate both is still a question. However, Brian Callahan is a believer and knows Ridley will be a perfect fit.
And he wasn't afraid to go through a division rival to make it happen.
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