The Tennessee Titans have been very busy to start the new league year. Tennessee securing WR Calvin Ridley from their division rival grabbed the most headlines. Now, Ridley has made his voice heard following the announcement and his recent comments have sparked some suspicion about how this all went down.
Calvin Ridley’s Strong Comment
Ridley left nothing off of the table shortly after his signing was announced. Interestingly, he did this while saying relatively few words. His exact words were the following:
“Chess not checkers love all Ridley.” -Calvin Ridley
Building With the Tennessee Titans?
One interpretation of the signing is that Ridley likes the direction Tennessee is heading. They have a lot of work to build themselves back up, but they have been busy with several free agent signings. Plus, they have a new head coach and a quarterback who is still on his rookie contract.
The two other teams Ridley was reportedly considering before signing with the Titans were the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars. One can argue that the Patriots are farther away from success than the Titans. Also, the Jaguars could be perceived as trending down after missing the playoffs last season.
Betting Conspiracy Theory?
As usual, there are crazy things being said on the internet from fans and other notable personnel. However, one sticks out shortly after this signing was announced. This comment came from Scott Barrett, the CEO of Fantasy Points.
Barrett noted that it was suspicious what the betting odds for each team Ridley could have signed for were. These odds were the following:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (-300)
- New England Patriots (+200)
- Tennessee Titans (+1800)
Ridley has a notable history with sports betting. In March 2022, he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for betting on games in the league while he was a player. As a result, Ridley sat out the entire 2022 NFL season and there was speculation as to whether he would ever be the same player again.
What Calvin Ridley Offers
Ridley had a notable 2023 season with the Jaguars. He had 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions. These numbers nearly matched his 2021 season. It is remarkable considering he missed an entire season before that. Now, he looks to surpass these numbers in 2024.
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