ESPN: Calvin Ridley 'As Advertised'; Jags 'Ecstatic' about Trevor Lawrence's Offense

New Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been "heavily involved" and looked "as advertised" during the team's organized team activities, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Sunday's SportsCenter.

He continued:

"Last time he was on the field for Atlanta he was a fringe top-10 wide receiver in the league. So, Jacksonville is ecstatic about what they have with their offense around Trevor Lawrence. They also hope to have Evan Engram back. He's not signed his franchise tag, but they've been negotiating with the player. They are hopeful to get a long-term deal done with the tight end to pair with Ridley."

Ridley, 28, was suspended for the entirety of the 2022 season for betting on NFL games in 2021. In November, the Jaguars traded two conditional draft picks to acquire him from the Atlanta Falcons.

The wideout had a career year in 2020, catching 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns, before stepping away from the team in 2021 to focus on his mental health after five games.

And now he has the opportunity to be the focal point of what is shaping up to be a very exciting group of pass-catching weapons.

"I've been really impressed with Calvin," Jags offensive coordinator Press Taylor told reporters. "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. And then to be able to meet him in person, we've had a lot of people vouch for him going back to when we acquired him."

Along with Ridley, the Jaguars will feature Christian Kirk (84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns last season) and Zay Jones (82 catches for 823 yards and five scores) on the outside and Engram (73 catches for 766 yards and four touchdowns) at tight end.

Add in running back Travis Etienne (1,125 rushing yards and five scores) and an emerging star at quarterback in Lawrence (4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, eight interceptions), and the Jags could have one of the most exciting offenses in football this upcoming season.

Ridley has the chance to take that offense to the next level.

"He's been great," Kirk told reporters regarding Ridley. "I think the great part is he's a very high-energy guy, and he's a sponge, too. For a guy who's very crafty and very good at his craft and one of the better receivers in the league, he's always learning. And I think that's a really refreshing part."