Calvin Ridley: ‘Of course’ I want to stay with Jaguars

Calvin Ridley’s first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was a tough one to evaluate.

On the one hand, the receiver led the team in receiving yards with 1,016 and his eight touchdown receptions were four more than any other player on the team. On the other hand, Ridley was credited by PFF with a team-high seven drops while the rest of the receivers have seven drops combined. He was held to no more than 40 yards in nine games and frequently struggled to get on the same page with Trevor Lawrence.

So what should the Jaguars do with Ridley set to become a free agent in about two months?

Ridley, 29, has no idea what Jacksonville is planning, but told reporters Monday that he’d love to stay with the team.

“Of course,” Ridley said, via Juston Lewis of the Florida Times-Union. “I love these guys. I’ve built relationships with them, I don’t really care to learn other people and plays and all that other stuff right now, but God is gonna find out where I belong. If the money is right — I do need some of that — we’re gonna figure it out. But I’m gonna hit this offseason, for me personally, to get better so I’m coming back and I’m happy about my play.”

Complicating the issue for the Jaguars are the parameters of the trade they made with the Atlanta Falcons to acquire the veteran receiver. By playing the entire season, Ridley guaranteed that Jacksonville will send a 2024 third-round pick, at minimum, to the Falcons as part of the deal. But the Jaguars would owe Atlanta a second-round selection instead if they re-sign Ridley before the new league year begins on March 13.

Jacksonville could skirt that part of the deal by using the franchise tag or by re-signing Ridley after the new league year begins. But those paths are tricky with pass rusher Josh Allen also set to become a free agent, and other teams allowed to contact Ridley on March 11.

“I got out of this season healthy,” Ridley said Monday. “I know I’m a good player, for sure. I feel young. I can run fast still, I’ll tell you that. Whoever wants a good player, that’s how it is.”

The Jaguars are currently set to have about $24.4 million in cap space for the 2024 season.