3 potential landing spots for Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley if he becomes a free agent
The Jacksonville Jaguars will have to make several important decisions this offseason. One of them will be whether they'll bring back wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who's scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL calendar begins in March. Ridley is coming off a 1,000-yard, eight-touchdown season and established himself as one of Trevor Lawrence's top targets.
Lawrence would most definitely love to have Ridley back in 2024. Although their rapport wasn't always the best, the star quarterback says they developed a good relationship as the year progressed and their connection will only get better if they remain together. That said, it's not a given that Ridley will return next season.
If the Jags re-sign the Alabama product, they'll need to give the Atlanta Falcons a second-round pick as part of the trade they made to acquire him in 2022. However, it will only be a third if they let him walk in free agency.
If the team's brass decide that the second-rounder they'd have to give up is too valuable, they may let Ridley hit the open market. If he does, other clubs could enter a bidding war for his services. These three, in particular, could make an aggressive effort to acquire the veteran wideout.
3. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns exceeded expectations in 2023. Despite the fact that they were down to their fourth quarterback and lost several key starts throughout the year, they managed to make the playoffs with Joe Flacco at the helm.
In spite of Flacco's heroics, the Browns won't probably re-sign him, Thus, paving the way for Deshaun Watson to return to the lineup. So far, Cleveland hasn't gotten enough bang for their buck since acquiring Watson in 2022, so they'll try to do what they can to ensure he can succeed next season.
Among the things the Browns could do is upgrade their wide receiver corps. Last year, they traded for Elijah Moore but he didn't have the impact they expected.
Amari Cooper is a fine player but Cleveland needs to add someone else who can draw coverage away from him. Calvin Ridley could be that player. The only roadblock in their way is that they're currently $19 million over the cap. But if they find a way to fit Ridley into their budget, he would be an excellent addition to their wide receiver corps.