Calvin Ridley struggles with Titans show the Jaguars were right to let him walk

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley was a playmaker for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. On the other hand, his drops and other mistakes were also a source of frustration. Still, the Jags wanted to bring him back before ultimately letting him walk. The player formerly known as Agent 0 ended up bolting for the Tennessee Titans in free agency. It's still early in the season, but he's not off to a great start.

Ridley was targeted seven times in the season opener but only caught three passes. Following the loss to the Chicago Bears, his connection (or lack thereof) has come into question. The veteran wideout wishes it weren't.

"Let [us] work in peace and we'll get better, "Ridley said via the Nashville Post. "Stop asking the same questions over and over again, and it will be all right. Know what I'm saying? Let us focus. Let us do what we got to do. We going to be all right. That's me, my heart, I know that."

Unfortunately for the Alabama product, their rapport will continue to be a topic of discussion until they fix it. For his part, Titans head coach Brian Callahan isn't overly concerned, pointing out that Ridley and Levis are on the same page. They simply missed two plays.

This isn't the first time Ridley has made headlines for not reeling in passes in Tennessee. Back in training camp, he couldn't come down with a catch. When asked about it, the Jacksonville native said that he wasn't running at full speed.

Ridley says one of the reasons he didn't want to return to Jacksonville was that he was under too much scrutiny for his drops. He's quickly finding out that things aren't much different in Nashville. Heck, he may be worse off, having traded Trevor Lawrence for the inconsistent Levis.

In case you were wondering, here are two players were Levis and Ridley don't appear to be on the same wavelength.

Calvin Ridley is struggling while Brian Thomas Jr. is making plays for the Jaguars

Despite his shortcomings, the Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to re-sign Calvin Ridley after 2023. This is understandable when you take into account that he led the team in catches, and receiving touchdowns last year. Moreover, he drew a league-high seven defensive pass-interference calls. The former first-round pick definitely brought something to the table. However, he thought he was better off crossing enemy lines.

To replace Ridley, the Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall. So far, he's been everything they expected and then some. The Louisiana native was a deep threat at LSU, and his 4.33-second speed has carried over into the NFL nicely.

Thomas made several jaw-dropping plays in the preseason and continued to showcase his game-changing skills in the season opener, registering four receptions for 44 yards with one touchdown. Moreover, he drew a massive pass-interference call that put Jacksonville within striking distance.

When you factor in that Thomas will make a combined $14.6 million the next four years while Tennessee is on the hook for $92 million, not overspending to keep the latter looks like a great decision.

Now, Calvin Ridley is a talented player, and there's a chance he'll turn the corner with the Titans. That said, the Jaguars are surely thrilled to have Brian Thomas in the fold.

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