Dynamic wide receiver Calvin Ridley signing with the Tennessee Titans sent shockwaves through the AFC South.
Ridley now becomes a favorite to become quarterback Will Levis‘ favorite target, following a strong season in Duval as the most dangerous weapon in Jacksonville Jaguars signal caller Trevor Lawrence’s arsenal.
After putting pen to paper on his new four-year contract worth $92 million, Ridley addressed moving on from one division rival to another.
“I really wanted to honestly be with the Jags, but there was a lot of things that wasn’t working out for me,” Ridley told reporters during his introductory news conference Friday. “Then obviously the money was pretty good, so I went with that, and yeah, I’m here.”
Calvin Ridley arrives in Tennessee after catching 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2023 campaign, one of the most prolific seasons of his career.
Now, Ridley, at age 29, gets to line up opposite DeAndre Hopkins, forming half of one of the more prolific wide receiver duos in the league.
“I just feel I’m going to be able to be a grown man here,” Ridley said. “This team showed me they want me here for a while, and they told me already they’re going to treat me like a grown man.”
Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis in a Great Position to Improve
Levis has the arm-strength, and now the wide receiver duo, to push the Tennessee Titans’ passing offense vertically in 2024.
Even before the Titans came to terms with Ridley, Levis was on board with the idea of him ending up in the Titans’ offense.
“Yeah, (Ridley is) definitely an awesome player,” Levis told Robert Griffin III on the “RG3 and The Ones” podcast. “I got to see first-hand him torch us a couple of times. It would be cool to have someone of his caliber out there playing. I’m sure he’s comfortable with (offensive coordinator Nick) Holz.”
“It would be cool to definitely play with him and, who knows, maybe link up in the offseason, get some balls in the air and see what we can make happen. But it’s not my decision. I don’t really have any pull.”
Levis completed just 58.4 percent of his passes as a rookie in 2023, for 1,808 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. This upcoming season, the stage is set for Levis to elevate his production, perhaps significantly.
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