There always seems to be a team that sneaks out of nowhere and signs one of the big free agents. The Tennessee Titans were that team when it came to Calvin Ridley, as the former first-round wide receiver signed a massive four-year deal with the Titans worth $92 million and $50 million guaranteed.
It was a shocking move considering the Titans hadn't been linked to Ridley much and if anything, it felt as though he was going to rejoin the Jaguars, who he spent the 2023 season with. On the plus side, the Titans swiped him from Jacksonville and that can't be understated considering Ridley went over the 100-yard receiving mark both times he faced the Titans.
That being said, a lot of people are saying that the Titans overpaid for Ridley. What grade does this move deserve?
What grade do the Titans deserve for signing Calvin Ridley to massive contract?
The Titans were always going to add a receiver to pair with DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks but it was a question of who that was going to be. That guy will be Ridley.
While Ridley proved he still has plenty in the tank during his 2023 season where he had 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars, he'll turn 30 years old in December and the Titans locked him up for a lot of money. Ridley also has yet to make a Pro Bowl since entering the league in 2018.
The Titans decided to make a bold move and it'll be interesting to see how this pans out for them. On the one hand, Ridley had a solid year in 2023 but he's turning 30 later this year and is signed for the next four years. The Titans could have turned to the draft to find another starting receiver but opted to back up the Brinks truck for Ridley.
With that in mind, I'm going to give the Titans a "C" for this signing.