Some people questioned the Tennessee Titans’ decision to pay Calvin Ridley so much money.
It’s not that Ridley hasn’t proven to be a very good player, but the Titans refused to give A.J. Brown — who was significantly younger and better — a similar deal a couple of years ago.
Of course, it’s always hard to assess a player’s performance and not consider the kind of money he’s making, and that could be a heavy burden to carry for the former Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars standout.
Nonetheless, NFL analyst Greg Cosell believes he can take the Titans’ offense to a whole new level.
Talking on the Ross Tucker podcast, Cosell explained that Ridley is the kind of wide receiver who can help dictate coverage and determine how the defense will play.
“They have a receiver that can regulate the defense because he has vertical ability,” Cosell said.
Is new Titans WR Calvin Ridley a true #1 worth the money that Tennessee paid him? pic.twitter.com/ChbMhljGY2
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) March 23, 2024
He said he’s a great route-runner who can work the intermediate and deep levels of the field pretty well, and his presence there could help an aging veteran like DeAndre Hopkins get some clean looks as well.
Cosell added that the Titans hope that Treylon Burks takes a leap in his third season, assuming he’s able to stay healthy.
And while their offensive line wasn’t that good last season, he still sees this offense’s potential ahead of the upcoming campaign.
At the end of the day, the Titans may have overpaid to give their new franchise quarterback a WR1.
Then again, it’s hard to blame a team for doing everything they can to put their new star in a position to succeed.
NEXT: Fans React To Titans' Notable Offseason Acquisitions