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The Jacksonville Jaguars are almost guaranteed to use their franchise tag on top pass rusher Josh Allen, which could ultimately lead to the Chicago Bears adding a solid WR2 option.
Veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley is headed for free agency after playing a lone year with the Jags. Ridley, 29, just wrapped up the second 1,000-yard season of his career, catching 76 passes for 1,016 yards (13.4 yards per catch) and 8 touchdowns.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus listed the Bears as a top landing spot for Ridley in free agency, noting the WR would be a great compliment to DJ Moore.
“With D.J. Moore in place, Chicago could get two players who are interchangeable as X-receivers up on the line and as good move/Z-receivers with alignment versatility,” Spielberger wrote on January 31. “Both can create separation vertically, but Ridley could take the top off defenses even more and let Moore utilize his high-end after-the-catch abilities at the short and intermediate levels.”
What Would the Chicago Bears Be Adding in WR Calvin Ridley?
A first-round pick out of Alabama for the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 (No. 26 overall), Ridley was a touchdown machine over his first three seasons. He hauled in 26 TDs in his first 44 games.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ridley’s best season came in 2020, when he was named a second-team All-Pro. He finished with 90 receptions for 1,374 yards (15.3 yards per catch) and 9 TDs.
A foot injury that required surgery limited him to just five games in 2021, and after the year was over, he missed more time for an altogether different reason.
Ridley didn’t play at all in 2022 after being suspended for betting on NFL games during the 2021 season. After that, the Falcons traded him to Jacksonville for a fifth-rounder and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick, which turned into a third-rounder after Ridley hit certain performance milestones during the 2023 season (more on this third-round pick later).
Ridley had some issues with drops in 2023 (he had 7, per PFF), but that could have been part of the rust falling off as he got acclimated to the game again. Thus, the Bears shouldn’t overpay for his services.
What Kind of Contract Might Calvin Ridley Be Looking to Sign?
Spotrac has Ridley projected to sign a four-year contract worth over $68.2 million this offseason ($17 million per season average). Spielberger’s projection isn’t far off from that. He has Ridley inking a two-year deal worth $32.5 million ($16.25 million per year, $21.5 million guaranteed).
As Spielberger also notes, should the Jags extended Ridley before the 2024 NFL league year begins, Jacksonville will have to send the Falcons a second-rounder. That pick remains a Round 3 pick if an extension isn’t signed.
For his part, Ridley has stated he’d like to remain in Jacksonville, but admits money is a factor in his upcoming decision.
“I learned these guys, built relationships with them. I don’t really care to learn other people and plays and all the other stuff right now. God is going to find out where I belong and if the money is right, I do need some of that, we’ll figure it out,” Ridley said after the season, via the Florida Times-Union. “I’m going to hit this offseason for me personally to get better.”
With free agency a near certainty, the Bears will likely have an opportunity to make a play for Ridley. We’ll see if they do.
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