Titans WR Not Living Up to Expectations

Through three weeks, the Tennessee Titans leading receiver isn't even a receiver. Tight end Chig Okonkwo surpassed wide receiver Calvin Ridley after rookie quarterback Cam Ward had no choice but to look elsewhere. There are plenty of reasons why the Titans are 0-3, but Ridley's offensive output has been a key contribution, or lack thereof.

Ward's 506 passing yards through the first three games may not be a lot, but the Titans still have a trio of players with 100+ receiving yards. Rookie WR Elic Ayomanor sits at third with 10 receptions for 107 yards. Above him is Ridley, who finished with just 27 yards for the second time this season. Despite leading the team in targets (21), Ridley has just eight receptions for 111 yards. His 13.9 yards per reception may look great, but there is tremendous room for growth.

Okonkwo emerged as a new top target for Ward in their Week 3 meltdown to the Indianapolis Colts. Ward was able to shake off an early pick-six, later allowing Okonkwo to put up his best stat line of the season, by far. His 66 Week 3 receiving yards were more than he had in the first two weeks combined.

Somehow, both Okonkwo and Ridley have gone the first three weeks without a touchdown reception. Ayomanor has been the clear standout of this receiving core, hauling in both of Ward's touchdown passes. If anything, it speaks volumes as to how the rookies have formed an immediate connection.

That said, there's no reason for Ridley to only eight receptions on 21 targets. Having played 111 snaps through the first two weeks, he was the only Titans receiver to hit triple digits. Okonkwo had 100 with Ayomanor sitting at 93. For Ridley to have played 95% of snaps in Week 1 and come up with just 27 yards is inexcusable.

Ridley has to be better, and he knows it. The 30-year-old is years beyond his off the field issues that forced him to sit out the entire 2022 season. He came back and made an immediate impact in Jacksonville, so the Titans rewarded him with nearly $100M. Last year, Ridley lived up to the hype with 1,017 receiving yards and four touchdowns. This year? Not so much.

2025 sees the Titans pay Ridley a base salary of $22.49M, according to Spotrac. Should the team choose to move on from him, he has a potential out in 2026 that would turn the contract into a two-year, $51M deal with $16M in dead cap. If not, Ridley is set to earn just north of $20M in both 2026 and 2027.