JAGUARS WR CALVIN RIDLEY FULLY REINSTATED AFTER ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been fully reinstated for the 2023 NFL season, the league confirmed on Monday.
Ridley, 28, was suspended in March of last year for violating the league’s gambling policy. The former first round pick used his phone to place parlay bets during a five-day period in late November 2021, when he was away from the club’s facility on the non-football illness list. Ridley had placed bets on games that he was not a part of and wagered on his team to win. He later announced that he wagered a total of just $1500 and clarified that he did not have a gambling problem.
A statement from the NFL read: “Calvin Ridley of the Jacksonville Jaguars has been fully reinstated, the NFL announced today. Ridley, who had been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, is eligible to participate in all team activities, effective immediately.”
Ridley responded to the reinstatement in a statement, saying: “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 judgment.”
“I have always owned my mistakes and this is no different. I have great respect for the game and I’m 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 2018 26th overall pick will now join a talented wide receiver room that includes former Arizona Cardinal, Christian Kirk, and former Las Vegas Raider, Zay Jones. Ridley, a slick route runner who tends to win easily off the line of scrimmage will be a massive addition to the passing scheme in Jacksonville. Now, after a year, he can be the shiny new toy that the team envisioned in November for soon to be third-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
“The Jaguars organization is aware of the NFL’s ruling to reinstate Calvin Ridley,” the Jaguars said in a statement on Monday. “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.”
Ridley was traded to the Falcons prior to the trade deadline in November for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional pick. The conditional pick would become a fourth-rounder in 2024 if Ridley makes the team and could become a third round pick based off of playing time. If Ridley ends up signing an extension in Jacksonville, the conditional pick turns into a second-round pick.
The reinstatement comes after Ridley petitioned for reinstatement on Feb. 15th, his first day eligible to do so. With his contract tolling through the suspension, Ridley is set to play on the fifth year option of his rookie contract, and will earn a guaranteed salary of $11.116 million through 2023.
In other news, the Jaguars also officially placed their franchise tag on tight end Evan Engram on Monday, thus ensuring one of their best players from 2022 stays in Jacksonville for one more year. The 28-year-old registered 73 catches for 766 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in 2022, averaging 10.5 yards per catch, and is now set for a big year in 2023 after helping the Jaguars win the AFC South and secure a playoff spot last year. Engram is set to earn approximately $11.345 million in 2023.
The Jaguars are set to begin offseason workouts on April 17th.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.