Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley missed the entire 2022 season due to suspension. He last played on Oct. 24, 2021, so his immersion into his new club and offense this offseason is of note.
So far, so good, according to offensive coordinator Press Taylor, who gushed about Ridley at the opening of OTAs.
"I've been really impressed with Calvin. I've watched every snap Calvin's played in the NFL, just like a lot of our guys have. So we're very confident in the player we're getting," Taylor said Monday. "And then to be able to meet him in person, we've had a lot of people that vouched for him, obviously going back to when we acquired him, but the work he's put in this offseason has been impressive just in terms of meeting the extra work he does. And you can tell he is doing it because he comes in the next day, he's got his list of questions, and they're very thought-out. You can tell he's peeked ahead of the install or just looking a couple of days ahead as we go on. So he's done a great job, just intermixing with the group and making his own role."
Before his year-long suspension for violating the NFL's gambling policy, Ridley missed time dealing with mental health issues, which he detailed earlier this offseason.
In 2020, Ridley was among the best receivers in the NFL, generating 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 catches with the Falcons.
While we won't overstate May workouts, when receivers aren't being challenged during non-contact practices, it's notable that Ridley has reportedly been the class of the Jags offense in this early stage. If he's the receiver we saw in 2020 and prior, the Jags added a game-breaker to an already potent offense. So far, so good.