The New England Patriots have been fairly quiet since Free Agency officially started. Could they be working in silence on a huge deal? Calvin Ridley, receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars has been a name to watch for New England, and the Jaguars just agreed on a deal with wide receiver Gabe Davis. Could this mean that Ridley is on his way out of Florida? For fans of the New England Patriots, the addition of Calvin Ridley would be a massive upgrade to the current receiver room. The Foxboro Faithful is currently holding their breath, in hopes that Eliot Wolf can strike deal with the star pass catcher.
Ridley would have an immediate impact for the Patriots. He would dictate coverage as a true number one receiver, which would open up favorable matchups and more opportunities for the rest of the New England offense. Ridley is one of the league’s best route runners and would be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Being able to separate from corners, is the most important aspect of an NFL receiver’s game. With the potential rookie quarterback that New England may take at third overall, Ridley would be a perfect, reliable target that the rookie could count on. If the Patriots wish to get their offense back on track, adding a veteran game changer, could be the first piece of the puzzle.
If the Patriots act on their desire for a more explosive offense, then they shouldn’t be scared of dealing out a big contract to Ridley. They have a huge amount of cap space and have the ability to give Ridley a huge contract, without even making a dent in their cash. This is an ability that many teams wish they had. By having one of the largest cap numbers in the entire NFL, and the third overall pick, the Patriots are in position to rebuild faster than most people thought possible. If Gabe Davis signing in Jacksonville is because of Ridley leaving, then New England should be on the phone immediately. They have no reason to avoid giving a good player a big time contract.
Eliot Wolf wants to “weaponize the offense”
Patriots Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf, discussed weaponizing the offense at the NFL Combine. Signing Ridley would do just that. Ridley is an explosive athlete that would make opposing defensive coordinators need to game plan for him. Not to mention that Ridley is the type of player you can design an offense around. Having a polished route runner would let Patriots offensive coordinator, Alex Van Pelt, design different schemes and concepts to play to the strengths of his new number one receiver. All over New England, the Foxboro Faithful are refreshing their social media feeds, in hopes of the news that star receiver Calvin Ridley, will be joining their favorite team.
