Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ridley was signed to a four-year, $92 million deal that received no shortage of criticism, as detractors believed the Titans overpaid.
However, that’s just how it goes when a team is signing the best player available at his position. Adding to that, Ridley has fallen all the way to 14th in annual average among wideouts after several other receivers got paid, so his deal looks much better.
Ridley, who posted a career-best 1,374 yards in 2020, is coming off a 2023 season in which he broke the 1,000-yard mark with the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is impressive when you consider he didn’t play for a season and a half.
Many out there believe the Jags didn’t use Ridley properly, while others will tell you Ridley had issues learning the offense and ran the wrong route on more than one occasion, something offensive coordinator Press Taylor refuted.
Ridley will be working under offensive coordinator Nick Holz, who was the Jags’ passing-game coordinator last season. Holz knows what went on with Ridley in Jacksonville more than anyone on the Titans’ staff and it’s doubtful Tennessee would’ve spent that kind of money on the veteran wideout if Holz knew he was an issue.
We have Ridley listed as the No. 2 here, but we expect him to be neck-and-neck with Hopkins for the title of the Titans’ top receiver in 2024.
