Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley changing the narrative: Takeaways from training camp presser

WR Calvin Ridley is focused on getting better during Jaguars training camp

Calvin Ridley showed early in his stint with the Atlanta Falcons that he could be a game-changer and after spending the 2022 season away from football, he's ready to prove he's the same player. Even during his suspension for betting on football games last year, he stayed in shape, and ever since he was able to join the Jags, he's done nothing to put in the work to show he can still play at a high level.

One thing that has helped Ridley get better is having to face cornerback Tyson Campbell in practice. Campbell, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, is an ascending talent, that has gotten league-wide recognition ahead of the 2023 season. Following Day 8 of training camp, the Alabama product said that he doesn't want to go against too many people but Campbell.

"It makes it very hard [having to go against Campbell], come swinging every day," Ridley told the media. "I know he's gonna come swinging, I don't want to go against too many other people to him in practice because I'm trying to get the real work, the grind, the hard reps.

Iron sharpens iron and having to go against Campbell every day will only make Ridley make better. Another thing that stood out in Ridley's exchange with the media is that he doesn't dwell on mistakes. He dropped three passes Wednesday but didn't make a big deal out of it. Instead, he's focused on building on the positives from yesterday's practice.

"If I drop a pass, that doesn't mean I'm rusty," Ridley said. " I just dropped it, was so wet yesterday, and couldn't keep them on my body. And a player like me, I'm never gonna think it's rust, no. I'm sorry. I'm not gonna say that. This training camp — what day is it, eight? — Pretty sore today, so no, I'm not rusty. I did so much good yesterday. I did so much good. And there was some bad, there's gonna be some good and bad and I look at it as a win. I'm out here and it's training camp."

"Like I said, I gotta get through this. That's what I'm doing. I know how hard training camp is. And this is probably one of the hardest training camps I've ever been in. So I know that I gotta continue to work to get better to be dominant come Day 1," Ridley said.

Ridley is right. He doesn't gain much by getting fixated on his mistakes, and not because he doesn't care but rather because he's looking for ways to fix them.