The first major pieces of the Jacksonville Jaguars offseason to-do list have been checked off after wide receiver Calvin Ridley was reinstated by the National Football League and the franchise tag was applied to tight end Evan Engram March 6.
Ridley’s reinstatement means that he is now a member of the team’s active roster, while Engram’s franchise tag will bring him back to the Jaguars for another one-year deal.
Prior to being reinstated, Ridley had been serving a one-year suspension by the NFL for gambling on league games.
“Today's reinstatement by the NFL brings an end to a challenging chapter of my professional career, one that was self-inflicted and began with an isolated lapse in judgement,” Ridley said in a statement. “I have always owned my mistakes, and this is no different. I have great respect for the game and am excited for the opportunity to restart my career in Jacksonville. I look forward to showing my new coaches, teammates, and the entire Jaguars organization exactly who I am and what I represent as a player and person.”
The Jaguars traded with the Atlanta Falcons for Ridley on Nov. 1, who is 28 years old and had 248 receptions for 3,342 yards and 28 touchdowns in 49 games during his four seasons with the Falcons.
Ridley played college football at the University of Alabama where he finished his college career with 224 receptions, 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air and was selected by the Falcons as the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Jaguars released the following statement following word of the reinstatement:
“The Jaguars organization is aware of the NFL’s ruling to reinstate Calvin Ridley. We look forward to building a relationship with Calvin as both an individual and as a player. Calvin is a proven playmaker, and we are excited to see him compete among and with his new teammates, first during our offseason Program in April and ultimately into the 2023 season, as we collectively pursue a championship for Jacksonville.”
Engram signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars last offseason and proved to be a valuable member of the offensive attack and a reliable target for second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the season went along.
Both sides made it known publicly since the season ended that they were very interested in getting a deal done and the result was the placement of the franchise tag, which will ensure Engram is on the team for another year.
Resigning players, free agent pickups and selecting players out of college through the NFL draft are all tools the Jaguars will continue to use moving forward into the offseason as they form the makeup of their team heading into the start of next season.
