Patriots Rumors: Calvin Ridley Received 'Aggressive' Pitch Before Titans Contract

Before star receiver Calvin Ridley signed a four-year deal with the Tennessee Titans this offseason, he reportedly turned down a significant offer from the New England Patriots.

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, the Patriots "were aggressive with their pitch" to Ridley because of their desire to improve their receiving corps which currently includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor.

In his lone season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ridley played in all 17 games and recorded 76 receptions for 1,018 yards and eight touchdowns. New England reportedly saw him as a major upgrade on the outside.

"One reason the Patriots were hot on Ridley -- he totaled 768 yards on passes thrown outside the numbers last season, which was the fifth most in the NFL," Reiss stated. "In 2023, the Patriots ranked second to last in the NFL in receiving yards on passes thrown outside the numbers, according to ESPN Stats & Information. New England's 1,581 receiving yards on passes thrown outside the numbers last season was more than only the [New York] Jets (1,515)."

Ridley ended up accepting a $92 million contract offer from the Titans, who "had the combination of money and on-field elements he was looking for -- which included a receiver in DeAndre Hopkins to play opposite of and help bring out the best in him," per Reiss.

Losing out on Ridley continued a lackluster offseason for New England, which is a team in transition after parting ways with longtime head coach Bill Belichick and moving on from quarterback Mac Jones. First-year head coach Jerod Mayo will have his work cut out for him while the Patriots continue their rebuild.