The Titans going all out to land Calvin Ridley was a bit of a head-scratcher.
That’s not a knock on Ridley, who was the best receiver available on the NFL open market and masterfully handled his free agency to earn a monster payday. It was just a somewhat surprising move by the Titans, who found themselves at a similar juncture only a few years ago.
Tennessee didn’t want to pay up for A.J. Brown, who received the four-year, $100 million ($57 million guaranteed) deal he wanted from Philadelphia after he was traded to the Eagles during the 2022 draft. Ridley, who’s not as productive as Brown, ended up fetching a similar agreement: four years, $92 million and reportedly only $7 million less in guaranteed cash.
So after Ridley broke the bank, countless NFL fans couldn’t help but make note of the Titans’ confusing decision-making.
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The Titans do deserve some credit. Tennessee clearly made a mistake by not locking up Brown when it had the chance, and it did what it had to do in an attempt to amend that lapse in judgment. Brian Callahan’s side is in a better spot than the New England Patriots, who entered the offseason flush with cap space but haven’t brought in any offensive game-changers.
You have to pay a lot to land the best players — that’s just how it works. And the Titans made sure they didn’t make the same error twice.
Featured image via Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union via USA TODAY Network
