Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Adam Stites

Patriots expected to ‘swing big’ for Calvin Ridley in free agency

The New England Patriots are expected to “swing big” for wide receiver Calvin Ridley in free agency this week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday. Dan Graziano of ESPN added that he expects the Carolina Panthers to “at least look into Ridley as well.”

Ridley, 29, was acquired by the Jaguars in a 2022 trade and finished his first season in Jacksonville with 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. However, he had several key drops and miscues after sitting out from football for nearly two years.

While Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has said he hopes to continue building his on-field relationship with Ridley, keeping the receiver won’t be easy.

For one, his price tag is reportedly swelling as the other options in free agency have begun to disappear.

It’s also a delicate situation for the Jaguars, who would lose a second-round pick if they re-sign Ridley before free agency begins on Wednesday. If Jacksonville allows Ridley to hit the market and then re-signs him anytime after 4 p.m. ET, the team would owe the Atlanta Falcons a third-round pick.

But waiting until Wednesday will give every other team at least 48 hours to begin talking contract numbers with Ridley, which will reportedly be “rather gaudy.” And it seems there will be no shortage of teams ready to give Ridley a call.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.