Chiefs Named Landing Spot for Veteran Free Agent WR Worth $68 Million

Getty Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense might have found its groove this postseason, but there’s still a strong case to be made that the team needs to add to its receiver room this offseason. Because of that, PFF has named the Chiefs as one of the top teams that could potentially sign free agent wide receiver Calvin Ridley this upcoming offseason.

“Kansas City has shown time and time again that it isn’t going to make free agent splashes on older players, but perhaps the Chiefs buy low on a very good player who fits their play style profile as a really good separator with late hands,” PFF’s Brad Spielberger wrote on January 31. “Every single mock draft from now until Round 1 of the 2024 Draft kicks off will have Kansas City taking one of the many great wide receivers in this class, but now picking either 31st or 32nd overall, the Chiefs address their biggest need in March and still leave the door open for a rookie.”

What to Know About Calvin Ridley

Ridley, 29, was a first-round pick — 26th overall — of the Atlanta Falcons in 2018. As the No. 2 option in the passing game alongside No. 1 WR Julio Jones with quarterback Matt Ryan under center, Ridley recorded 64 receptions for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns his rookie season, and 63 receptions, 866 yards, a 7 touchdowns in year 2, according to Pro Football Reference.

It wasn’t until year 3 that Ridley surpassed Jones in the passing game pecking order and had a full blown breakout as a result. During the 2020 season, Ridley recorded 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and 9 touchdowns.

In October 2021, Ridley announced that he was stepping away from football so he could focus on his “mental wellbeing.” After missing the remainder of the 2021 season, Ridley was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy (he bet on NFL games during the 2021 season).

Ridley, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 pounds, missed the entire 2022 season but was traded in November of that year to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran pass catcher was then reinstated by the NFL in March 2023.

During the 2023 regular season, Ridley was second among Jaguars pass catchers in receptions (76), first in receiving yards (1,016) and receiving touchdowns (8).

Ridley, who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2018, is a talented receiver that has an elite burst off of the line of scrimmage. He might not be as explosive as he once was, but when schemed up properly he can still be very productive as he nears age 30.

Does Calvin Ridley Make Sense for Chiefs?

According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Ridley’s market value is four years and $68.2 million. That’s an average annual value (AAV) of $17.05 million.

Spotrac projects that the Chiefs will have $23.8 million in cap space in 2024. Though the team has some tough decisions to make with pending free agents Chris Jones and and L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City has very few issues when it comes to departing free agents on the offensive side of the ball in 2024. Because of that, it could set up for the team to sign Ridley or another free agent receiver, and/or draft a receiver.

The Chiefs know what they have in Rashee Rice after a phenomenal rookie season. But outside of him and some postseason heroics from Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the team has many unproven commodities in the WR room.

Adding Ridley would insert more veteran experience into one of the team’s youngest position rooms and give the offense the downfield spark its been searching for.