Breaking news: The Chiefs are about to sign a premier free agent from the Jaguars.
Calvin Ridley, the wide receiver, is involved in one of the most crucial of those choices. Will the Jaguars forfeit their second-round selection if they sign Ridley before he becomes a free agent? Will they be left with little alternatives when it comes to Josh Allen if they franchise tag him?
Or, more likely yet, will they give Ridley the opportunity to reach free agency and accept offers from other teams?
When evaluating the best free-agency fits for the greatest quarterbacks and wide receivers expected to enter the market, PFF took that situation into consideration. If this occurs, Ridley, who PFF rates as the No. 24 player and No. 5 receiver, will probably have alternatives. The Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs are two choices that PFF believes have some merit.
Chicago might have two guys that can be used interchangeably as good move/Z-receivers with alignment diversity and as X-receivers up on the line with D.J. Moore in situ. Both players are capable of creating vertical separation, but PFF stated that Ridley might put even more pressure on defenders and free Moore to use his excellent after-the-catch skills in the short and intermediate range.
Kansas City has often demonstrated that it will not make big free agency splashes on older players, but it’s possible that the Chiefs may pay a modest price for a very talented player who best suits their play style as a late-hand separator. From now until Round 1 of the 2024 Draft begins, Kansas City will choose one of the several outstanding wide receivers in this class in every mock draft. However, with the Chiefs selecting either 31st or 32nd overall, they take care of their most pressing need in March while still leaving room for a rookie.”
In 2023, Ridley caught 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns, marking his second career 1,000-yard season. In addition, he played the whole season in good health, starting every one of the 17 games following his 2022 season-long ban.
“Calvin pulled off some really impressive feats. Calvin Ridley is my fave. He is completely focused on the ball. He likes to play, he loves to train, and he loves the game, as you guys and women who were able to witness at practice will attest,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke stated last week.
“You have to get the rust off of someone who hasn’t played football for more than a year and a half when they are brought back. He accomplished that, and on occasion, he revealed his true self. The possibilities are endless, and because of the way he operates, he can only become better. You can’t help but improve when you are passionate about something as much as he is about football. Calvin’s return would be greatly desired, and we will make efforts to make that happen. I’m not sure what that signifies exactly at this time.
