'Betting on the future': Pederson talks Ridley trade, more observations on Jaguars future

On Tuesday, the Jaguars made a splash trade, acquiring suspended Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons.

Ridley was suspended for betting on games during the 2021 season.

Ridley is eligible to apply for reinstatement on Feb. 15, 2023, and, barring a new contract, will be playing in Jacksonville under his fifth-year option, originally picked up by Atlanta. Ridley's fifth-year option calls for a guaranteed base salary of $11.1 million next year.

The trade was made official by Jacksonville just three minutes prior to the 4 p.m. trade deadline, and general manager Trent Baalke indicated the move was made for the future of the team's roster.

Jacksonville will owe the Falcons a fifth-round pick in 2023 while owing up to a second-round pick in 2024 if certain conditions are met.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson met with the media Wednesday and was asked about the move and its intricacies. Ultimately, the team, Pederson explained, is getting a talented receiver that can add to their already talented receiver room with great leaders that will "embrace him when he finally gets here."

"We're gonna always look to add talent to this roster in any way possible and I feel like we've done that," Pederson said. "Now, obviously, we won't know what we have until the league clears him and all of that, and we understand that, but, at the same time, we feel like we're getting a really good football player."

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When discussing the idea of Ridley being cleared at a reasonable time next year, Pederson said he hopes that's the case, but didn't have any knowledge of the exact timing of when he would ultimately be cleared to return to play.

“I hope the league clears him in due time and obviously after the season, but, we'll wait until that time," he said.

Ridley gives Jaguars future insurance

This trade wasn't a move for the present. In the midst of a 2-6 season, the Jaguars certainly could use some help, but that won't come in the form of a player acquired via trade this year. What you see is what you get in Jacksonville this year, but the landscape of the team's pass catchers will certainly change with the acquisition of Ridley. 

At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Ridley isn't a tree of a receiver, rather he is an efficient route-runner, and a player with plenty of speed (Ridley ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Combine). He comes with proven talent and, though he will have missed nearly two years of football upon his return, that shouldn't be understated.

Jacksonville's depth at the receiver position is already shaky but will be even moreso next year if receiver Marvin Jones Jr. leaves the team via free agency, which is likely. Jones will be 33 prior to the 2023 season.

That leaves Jacksonville with just two players — receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones — under contract beyond the 2023 season.

Receiver/return specialist Jamal Agnew is under contract through 2023, but is a free agent the following year. The other players at the position have extremely limited playing experience.

Regardless of whether or not Jacksonville felt comfortable with the production its current group of players can provide, there was a need beyond this year and Ridley could satisfy at least some of it.

"Obviously you'd love to have a player [now] but, that's not where we are, and we're always looking to improve and add that talent where we can. And sometimes, you can't control the situation, right? The circumstances around the players." Pederson said.  "So, we're just excited to have him and can't wait to get him here.”

The Jaguars had an opportunity to trade for Ridley at a later date, perhaps when he was fully reinstated by the league. But, they took the chance now because they felt they have an opportunity for a potential top-flight receiver, and it didn't matter when he could ultimately suit up.

“Well, you're betting on the future, right? You're putting resources out there to get a top receiver caliber type [of] player in this league," Pederson said. "And, obviously again, it goes back to whenever he's reinstated, the second we can get him in here, it'll be no different than when we got Zay [Jones] and Christian [Kirk] and all those guys this year.

"Just getting him the playbook, getting him caught up when, when the offseason program starts [and] go from there.”

'Fresh Start': A complex trade for a complex situation

Acquiring a player that is currently serving a suspension is not a move that is typically seen in the NFL. The team must be certain the player will not encounter the same issues that landed them on the reserve/suspended list to begin with.

Pederson understands that element of the business and noted on Wednesday that the team did plenty of homework prior to hitting the proverbial send button, notifying the league of the incoming transaction. Asked how he doesn't know if Ridley is "260 [pounds]" right now, Pederson responded reasonably: "You gotta take people's word. I mean, you gotta trust some folks every now and then."

The Jaguars, of course, did their homework when discussing Ridley's situation. They spoke with the Falcons, along with coaches that have worked with him.

Ridley's situation is certainly unique. The last time he suited up, he was 26, facing off against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7 of the Falcons' 2021 campaign. He caught four passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, Ridley stepped away from the game of football to focus on his mental health.

"We're aware of all the circumstances surrounding Calvin [Ridley] and [are] obviously very sensitive to the mental health of all the players and making sure that everybody's, really taken well care of," said Pederson. "And that's something that, that we'll continue to do with our current roster, obviously, and obviously when he gets in here."

A few months after that, Ridley was suspended indefinitely, out at minimum a full season prior to being eligible for reinstatement.

Pederson sees the transition Ridley will have from Atlanta to Jacksonville as not much of a concern. It's an opportunity for him to have a fresh start as a player that grew up in the state of Florida. He likened it back to himself, taking a year away from the game before becoming the team's head coach in Jacksonville.

"You look at it as a possible fresh start, kind of rejuvenated much like myself. [The] energy level will be high, a new team, coming back to Florida, all those things for the player are all positives," said Pederson. "It's just a matter of once he is cleared by the league, getting him in here when we can, and getting him caught up.”

After accounting for 248 receptions, 3,342 yards and 28 touchdowns through 49 games, Ridley's career and future were in doubt.

That's why Jacksonville had to send over draft picks with conditions. The reported conditions include a maximum compensation of a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick sent over to Atlanta in exchange for Ridley's services.

According to those reports, Jacksonville will owe the second-round pick only if Ridley hits certain playing time numbers and if the team ultimately extends the receiver during or following the final year of his contract in 2023.

The Alabama standout fit right in to the NFL

Ridley has had plenty of success in the NFL. As mentioned by Baalke in his statement released by the team Tuesday, he comes with a "proven" track record, a playmaker that bolsters the team's pass-catching room.

Ridley jumped into the scene in college as a true freshman with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2015. That season, he accounted for 89 receptions for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns. Over three years at Alabama, Ridley hauled in 224 passes for 2,781 yards and 19 touchdowns. He ranks fourth all-time at Alabama in receiving yards.

At the NFL scouting combine prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, Ridley ran a blazing 4.43 40-yard dash, confirming what scouts, media and fans had already seen on film from his three years with the Crimson Tide. His speed is legitimate and gave him a leg up heading to the next level.

Upon being drafted with the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Ridley was thrust into an ideal position. He played opposite of future Hall of Fame WR Julio Jones and had another potentially future HOF player, quarterback Matt Ryan, throwing to him. He took full advantage.

In three years playing with Jones and Ryan, Ridley accounted for 218 receptions for 2,061 yards and 26 touchdowns. During his best season, 2020, Ridley hauled in 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine TDs. He ranked seventh in the league in yards per route run that year with 2.44 Y/RR, according to Pro Football Focus.

For reference, over the past decade, only one Jaguars receiver has had more Y/RR through an entire season, Justin Blackmon in 2013 with 2.63 Y/RR. Blackmon played just four games that season, catching 29 passes for 415 yards and a touchdown before being suspended and subsequently out of the NFL.

The next highest mark is 2.32 Y/RR from WR Cecil Shorts in 2012. The only other receiver over the past decade in Jacksonville to average 2.0 Y/RR or higher was Allen Robinson in 2015 at 2.17 Y/RR.

Yards per route run can indicate how explosive of a player the receiver is. For Ridley, his Y/RR is indicative of his downfield catching ability.

Another indicator of downfield ability is yards before the catch per reception or YBC/R. According to Pro Football Reference, Ridley accounted for 12.2 YBC/R in 2020, which ranked seventh in the league.

Ridley ranked first in total yards before the catch that season with 1,099. Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs was second on the list that season with total yards before the catch.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars HC Doug Pederson explains Calvin Ridley trade decision