Titans WR Under Immense Pressure

The Tennessee Titans have placed a great deal of faith in receiver Calvin Ridley.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) runs after a catch during Tennessee Titans practice at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, May 29, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA

In a move that took many by surprise, the Tennessee Titans made a huge splash in free agency by signing receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal this offseason.

Tennessee's passing attack pretty underwhelming last season, in part due to a lackluster receiving corps. With the addition of Ridley, the Titans now have multiple threatening wideouts to work with, which should greatly aid the development of second-year quarterback Will Levis.

Still, the Titans committed a lot of money to a 29-year-old receiver, and one who's coming off an inconsistent season with the rival Jacksonville Jaguars. If Ridley doesn't live up to the Titans' expectations, then his contract could quickly turn into an albatross for the team.

For that reason, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin believes Ridley is one of the players under the most pressure to perform this coming season.

"Even though his Jacksonville Jaguars debut in 2023 proved more streaky than special, Ridley commanded top dollar this offseason, securing $23 million per year from Tennessee going on 30," Benjamin writes. "That's a sizable bet for a team that just last season looked years away from truly competing. DeAndre Hopkins is also onboard, but Ridley could be key to quarterback Will Levis' development."

Ridley has been through a lot throughout his career, from stepping away in football to work on his mental health in 2021 to a year-long gambling suspension in 2022. In that context especially, having so much pressure on his shoulders in Year 1 with the Titans is certainly tough.

However, the Titans gave Ridley the money they did for a reason. The Alabama product has shown All-Pro potential before, such as when he caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Even in his "down year" with the Jaguars, he still had 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.

If that's the production Tennessee is getting from its new No. 2 receiver, then it'll be very hard to complain about his performance.

Make sure you bookmark All Titans for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Titans Edge Rusher Hungry For More
• Titans WR Among Most Overpaid
• Report: Titans IG Model Arrested For Assault
• Titans Take Georgia DB in Mock Draft
• Titans Urged to Sign CB to Extension