The Jacksonville Jaguars could get a big reinforcement for their passing game in 2023.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, today is the first day that WR Calvin Ridley can apply for reinstatement after serving a season-long suspension for gambling.
Today is the first day that Jaguars’ WR Calvin Ridley can apply for reinstatement.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2023
The league suspended Ridley in March 2022 for at least one season for gambling on NFL games after he admitted to placing several thousand in bets in 2021 when he still played for the Atlanta Falcons.
Notably, those thousands wound up costing him north of $11.1 million, his base salary after being traded to the Jaguars mid-season.
Ridley reportedly wagered a grand total of $3,900 across six bets, including some Falcons games.
Ironically, however, it’s not like he was point-shaving or purposely trying to lose, as he actually bet on the Falcons to win and even placed a $1,300 wager on an in-game bet on the Falcons going over the projected team total.
To make things even more laughable, the league has now embraced sports gambling and has even allowed sportsbooks into stadiums, and not even players involved in domestic violence or assault cases are suspended for as long as Ridley was for betting on his own team to win.
But hey, he broke the rules and he had to pay his dues.
He only made five appearances in 2021, but he did haul in 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020, so his addition could provide a major boost for Trevor Lawrence’s team.
The Jaguars thrived with Christian Kirk and Zac Jones last season, with TE Evan Engram also becoming a steady contributor to their offense.
They’re fresh off winning a divisional title and could now only get significantly better.
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