Calvin Ridley reveals his reasons for dumping the Jaguars for the Titans

The Jackosnville Jaguars were close to re-signing wide receiver Calvin Ridley but the Tennessee Titans stepped in at the last minute and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. During his introductory press conference, Ridley outlined the reasons he chose to cross enemy lines.

Ridley says that money played a part but he also didn't think the Jaguars were using him correctly last year.

"It's a new start. When I was going through the process of trying to evaluate the teams that I could possibly be with, I have a certain type of skills. So I'm not scared to go with the good or with you who's trying to be good," Ridley told the media. "Playing them twice a year I was watching them and looking at the things they did have. I know that D-Hop is here. I know I want to play with another receiver on the other side that helps me do what I do best."

"I know that they had that, they had a really good defense and they were upcoming and stuff. Looking into it, I really wanted to be honestly with the Jags, but there were a lot of things that were working out for me and I think the Titans had that upside for me, so I chose the Titans. Obviously, the money was pretty good," Ridley said.

The Jags and the New England Patriots were the top landing spots for Ridley when he became a free agent. While the Pats made him a competitive offer, he had stated that returning to Jacksonville was his preference. And for a hot minute, going back to the Jags seemed like a certainty before Tennessee stepped in and gave him a four-year deal worth $92 million with $50 million guaranteed.

When the Jaguars traded for Ridley, they agreed to give the Atlanta Falcons a second round if they extended him before free agency started. That's why they didn't re-sign him before the new league year. They ultimately sent a third to Atlanta because he met playing conditions last year. Here's the clip of Ridley outlining his reasons for leaving Jacksonville.

Leaving the Jaguars for the Titans was a no-brainer for Calvin Ridley

It's refreshing to hear Calvin Ridley that money played a role in his decision to sign with the Titans. After all, he made it clear after the 2023 season that he didn't want to start over but signing with Tenessee came with plenty of upside besides the money.

As Ridley noted during his exchange with the media, he ran a limited number of routes with the Jaguars last year. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor wasn't particularly creative last year, and instead of moving Ridley around, he had him line up as an X receiver most of the time.

Even though the Titans have an inexperienced quarterback in Will Levis, Ridley could be in a better position to make plays. The fact that former Jaguars pass game coordinator Nick Holz is now the Tennessee offensive coordinator should also help the start receiver adjust quickly.

In the end, the Jacksonville Jaguars simply didn't do enough to keep Calvin Ridley around, and they knew that letting him become a free agent came with a risk. Having the option, he chose what seems to be a more favorable situation for him.

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