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Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
Calvin Ridley joins the Titans already having strong familiarity with his new wide receiver running mate, DeAndre Hopkins.
They talk. They train together.
In Hopkins, Ridley sees another talented wideout who can help him do what he does best.
“I can learn a lot,” Ridley said last week of playing with Hopkins, who last season was Tennessee’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2020. “He’s just been very consistent his whole career. His catching. His routes. Just his mentality to be a dog and a real high-caliber player.”
Ridley’s addition gives the Titans a top wide receiver tandem to supercharge the development of quarterback Will Levis, who should be priority No. 1 for new coach Brian Callahan and his staff. The franchise must find out if the 2023 second-round pick is the long-term signal-caller.
That’s why you see an investment in Ridley — four years for $92 million, including $46.98 million fully guaranteed — that some league observers have called an overpay. It’s why Lloyd Cushenberry, a great pass blocker, gets a record-setting deal for centers (four years for $50 million, including $26 million fully guaranteed).
With Ridley in the fold, the Titans have two of the most heavily pressed wide receivers in the league. Of the 35 NFL wide receivers who had at least 100 targets last season, Ridley was pressed at the third-highest rate, at 36.8%, according to Next Gen Stats. Hopkins ranked second at 37.1%. That speaks to how much they’re feared as route technicians (The Jets’ Garrett Wilson, Raiders’ Davante Adams and Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase round out the top five).
That threat opens up Callahan’s playbook. Rub and pick routes, stacks and trips alignments are all known press beaters. With Ridley and Hopkins, those concepts could thrust opposing defenses into conflict — not only creating opportunities for the duo, but also the team’s other pass-catchers and the two running backs,…
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Publish date : 2024-03-19 21:08:21
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