Calvin Ridley is a Jaguar[s]vs Raiders

The Trading deadline for the NFL has come and gone. Jaguars fans weren’t quite sure what to expect. Would General Manager Trent Baalke disappoint (as many expected him to) and not trade for a needed WR, DL, or CB? Or, would Baalke make a splash in the NFL trading market and improve the Jaguars chances of becoming the team many think they can be. There are an equal number of Jags fans who believe Baalke to have done a good job as GM over the past two seasons, and those people were rewarded (well, more vindicated, as all fans were rewarded) with a trade that nobody saw coming. The Atlanta Falcons number one “X” wide receiver, Calvin Ridley was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the most impossibly complicated compensation plan ever crafted. Keep in mind that Calvin Ridley is currently serving a one year suspension from the NFL for Pete Rose-ing a game between Atlanta and, ironically, the Jaguars. One of the catches being that the NFL may extend the suspension come the beginning of next year. It is bad enough he can’t help Trevor Lawrence and the Jags offense the rest of 2022, but to not have him next year as well, is not a risk Baalke was willing to take. Ridley had 28 TDs for ATL with 3,300+ yards total with 1,375 yards on 90 receptions in 2020 alone. He’s been away from the game for a year plus but a talent like Ridley will be ready to rock and roll if reinstated. For a moment, just for fun, imagine what Christian Kirk will achieve with Ridley on the roster. This trade will open up everything on the Jags offense. Keep that in mind.

Here is how the compensation package that the Atlanta Falcons will receive, breaks down. Jacksonville gets Ridley and the Falcons get a 2023 6th round pick (we knew there was a reason TB was collecting sixth rounders like grandpa did bags of Werther’s Originals hard caramel treats for the elderly). IF the NFL reinstates Ridley (earliest he can apply for reinstatement is February 15, 2023) for the 2023 season then that 6 pick turns into a 2023 5 pick. IF Ridley makes the team in 2023, then the Falcons receive an additional 2024 4th round pick. IF Ridley meets certain levels of play (incentives that haven’t been disclosed, but we can assume that “no betting” will be one of them) then it becomes a 2024 3rd round pick. Finally, IF Ridley studs out and gets signed to a long term deal in Jacksonville then that 3 turns into a 2 for ATL. So, the most that the Jaguars can give up for a phenomenal, true #1 WR is a 2023 5th and a 2024 2nd round pick. The 2023 fifth rounder means little to nothing, unless you are Billy B. and selecting TB12, which Baalke is not, and there is only one Brady. So it comes down to, is Calvin Ridley worth a second round pick two drafts from now? We look at it this way.

The only other play that Trent Baalke could have/should have (it depends upon who you ask) made before the trade deadline was to grab Chase Claypool from the Steelers for a 2023 second round pick. I’d argue Claypool is a better 50/50 ball guy. He’s 6’4, like 230 lbs of gimme that ball muscle, runs a sub 4.4 40-yard dash, and can jump higher than Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson put together in that accurately titled basketball classic. But Ridley has performed better over time. Another option was to take Brandin Cooks away from divisional opponent Houston, but I don’t think this trade would have been as popular. So in comparing Claypool for a guaranteed second rounder in 2023 vs Ridley for a conditional 2 in 2024. Who wins? Well, if you can get something for the same price, but don’t have to pay that price until you see whether or not the acquisition will actually be worth that price, then that is absolutely a better deal. What if Claypool busts for Chicago (who made the trade)? Chicago is out a 2nd round pick, either way. What if Ridley is a bust for Jacksonville, then he doesn’t get signed to a long termer. What if he doesn’t even make the team? Then the Jags don’t have to give up any first day picks. Anytime you can see if the merchandise works before paying for it, it’s a good trade. Well done, Trent Baalke. So, in conclusion, The best case scenario for Jacksonville is that they gave up James Robinson (got his conditional 5th rounder from the Jets) and a second rounder, two drafts from now, IF Ridley balls out and becomes a superstar with T-Law. Someone give Baalke a Mic please… so he can drop it.

Now, let’s play like Doug P. and stop talking about Calvin Ridley because he can not play for Jacksonville this year and on Sunday the Las Vegas Raiders come to TIAA Bank. It is Pederson’s job to prep the current players, during the current year, to win the current games. Head Coach Doug Pederson is definitely not looking to 2023. Zay Jones, in an interview with Mia O’Brien of 1010XL, articulated things rather intuitively by saying there are people with the Jags who need to look into the future, Doug Pederson is not one of them. He is grounded in the here and now and focused on week 9 against the Raiders. That in mind, we should take a look at this upcoming matchup.

The Raiders have an offense that can pop at any moment, yet it hasn’t popped all year long. The same was true about the Denver Broncos’ offense and, as luck would have it (extreme sarcasm), their offense popped against the Jaguars in London last week. So, are the Jaguars everyone’s homecoming game? Will they be the get right game for Carr and Adams? Ugh, that would suck. The Raiders have a 2-5 record with a bye week. The Jags, have a 2-6 record without a bye week. The Raiders lost all of their games by one score, EXCEPT, last week when they were shutout by the New Orleans Saints. Hopefully that film is being analyzed by Mike Caldwell and the Jags front seven can get to David Carr before D. Adams can break free of Tyson Campbell’s excellent coverage. That is going to be a matchup to watch this week. Campbell will have his hands full as Davante Adams is the best receiver in the NFL and he is capable of “getting his” at any time, in any game. Plus Adams is coming off a horrific performance (1 for 3 - he was ill though), so he will be looking to reverse the curse against Jacksonville Sunday.

The Jags have a healthy team heading into this game. Jamal Agnew is the only questionable player and every fan hopes that he sees playing time, as Christian Kirk looked a little hesitant returning punts last week. Speaking of Agnew, something we need to see more of is Jamal Agnew and Timmy Jones catching passes. Agnew can stretch the field and Tim Jones is a hungry beast after the catch. You know that no matter how many yards ETN racks up, Doug Pederson will make sure T-Law gets his share of passes. The Raiders defense has trouble stopping a runny nose, so this may very well be set up perfectly for Jacksonville to “pop” and have a get right game of their own. If they do not, and they drop yet another to the Raiders, then things look pretty bleak on the first coast, as KC, Baltimore and Dallas are still around the corner. Right now the Jaguars players and coaching staff still have confidence (though Doug Pederson does sound a little dejected in his pressers as of late). If they can finally translate that confidence to the field and get a Dub, then that might spark something, helping them rip off several more down the stretch. Baltimore and the Chiefs are beatable this season (maybe the Ravens a little more than the Chiefs). I wonder if possibly, just maybe, Mike Caldwell will choose to spy Lamar Jackson and Pat Mahomie a little bit better than he did the Giants Daniel Jones. With so many divisional games left and with the AFC South being such a bad division, it isn’t inconceivable that JAX might still have a shot at not coming in last place (I wish I didn’t just say that. I don’t want to get excited. I don’t want to jinx anything). Let’s be honest, a lot has to happen for Jacksonville to possible salvage anything that remotely resembles a season this year. But, at the very least, if they can end 2022 on some kind of winning streak to build team confidence heading into a great draft (I’m assuming, as I know all of you are, that it’ll be amazing) and a Calvin Ridley filled 2023 (fingers crossed that Roger Goodell doesn’t try to make Ridley the NFLs Pete Rose and extend his suspension), then WOW. Just bask in that for a moment…and then come back to the reality that is week nine against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Let us know what you think about the Ridley trade and the Raiders game in the comment section below.