Calvin Ridley might already regret not signing with the Patriots in free agency

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) brings in a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) brings in a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The Patriots went into 2024 free agency with a lot of cap space to spend and plenty of positions needing to be upgraded, the most dire of which was their receiving corps. With Jerod Mayo's comments about wanting to "burn some cash" fresh on the mind, there was a belief that the new regime would do exactly that.

Unfortunately, that's not how things went.

To be fair, though, Mayo and Co. have made solid attempts to spend a lot of money to acquire a top-name wide receiver, including Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk via trade. But their failed pursuits don't warrant moral victories in New England.

Ridley's decision to sign with the Titans instead of the Patriots was tough for fans to swallow, especially since the team had offered just $1 million less than what he received from Tennessee. The receiver defended his decision (of course) by emphasizing the lack of state taxes he would have to pay with his new team, noting the high rates in Boston were a turn off.

But it doesn't appear it is panning out as he believed it would so far this season.

Calvin Ridley is not happy about his lack of involvement in the Titans' Week 6 loss

Besides the tax deterrent keeping Ridley and others out of Foxboro, there was also the belief that the uncertainty of the quarterback situation made them an undesirable destination. That's what made Ridley's decision to play for the Titans a bit more questionable, and it's already looking like he's regretting his choice after their latest loss.

It's not the loss that seems to have put Ridley over the edge, but the lack of involvement in the offense by quarterback Will Levis.

The receiver was targeted eight times against the Colts on Sunday, leading the team for the day, but didn't make a single catch. That led to Ridley going off to reporters in the locker room after the game, expressing his valid frustration with how the season has gone for him so far.

There's plenty of time for things to turn around in Tennessee, and for Ridley specifically, but it's possible that he made the wrong choice by signing with them in the first place.

He does lead the receivers in receiving yards this season, which proves that Levis is (at least) attempting to use him even with a guy like DeAndre Hopkins on the roster. However, as seen in the video, Ridley isn't happy, and it's boiling over now.

Perhaps he would have had a better season if he more strongly considered New England instead.

More Patriots news and analysis:

manual