Plaxico Burress took two years "off" and came back with 612 yards and 8 touchdowns at 34 years old.

There is a wide spectrum of "return to football" stories out there. They are all different.
Ridley is allowed to have his own comeback and it doesn't have to be just like any prior example we can dig up here.

I'm cautiously optimistic based on the limited info we have.

 Plaxico was also in his 11th year in the league at a time and was not a good route runner or speed guy before he shot himself.  Calvin Ridley on the other hand, is great at running routes and short area quickness as well which will help him transition back to the NFL.  Most importantly, we have Doug Peterson as a head coach who knows how to get the best out of his personnel just like Andy Reid.

The point I apparently didn't make well enough was that "we shouldn't be comparing Ridley's situation to any of these other comeback stories." 

None are the same.

Ridley's will be whatever it is - independent from all of these pointless comparisons. 

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Yes, Ridley's skillset is impressive, and yes, Pederson is very adept at maximizing players' talents in his playbook and usage of said players. 
Maybe not "just like" Andy Reid, but close. 
The student is not yet the master in that regard.

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Plaxico Burress took two years "off" and came back with 612 yards and 8 touchdowns at 34 years old.

There is a wide spectrum of "return to football" stories out there. They are all different.
Ridley is allowed to have his own comeback and it doesn't have to be just like any prior example we can dig up here.

I'm cautiously optimistic based on the limited info we have.

I’m optimistic too but I think a lot of people see it as a guarantee and I’m still a tad skeptical.

Which is also why I may still lean Quentin Johnson or Addison if they’re there. 

Long ways to go though before the draft.

 Ridley has a better chance than either of those rookies, he has proven he can do it.  Nothing is ever a guarantee, even WRs that had a good season this year.  It's possible this year of rest could even benefit Ridleys body with the year of rest as long as he continued to train which I'm sure he has.  I'm sure he would like one more big contract before he retires.

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Anger?

Oh yes, I’m furious.

 I'm asking you as a man let's have a mature Jacksonville jaguars discussion without the necessary drama behind it.  We should be past our beef by now because I've moved on from that situation.

So since you don’t agree with my reply, with completely valid points, there is ‘anger’ in my ‘voice’ and it wasn’t ‘mature’.  Got it.  By the way, you just brought up Bortles. I had no intention of doing so.  Bottom line, you can’t take one situation and apply it to another.  They’re all different people and different athletes.

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If he shows up in or near game-level shape then I see no reason not to be optimistic. But, of course, nothing is guaranteed.

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 I'm asking you as a man let's have a mature Jacksonville jaguars discussion without the necessary drama behind it.  We should be past our beef by now because I've moved on from that situation.

So since you don’t agree with my reply, with completely valid points, there is ‘anger’ in my ‘voice’ and it wasn’t ‘mature’.  Got it.  By the way, you just brought up Bortles. I had no intention of doing so.  Bottom line, you can’t take one situation and apply it to another.  They’re all different people and different athletes.

 OK brother,  I may have been on the defensive towards you based on our pass history and if that's the case, I truly apologize.  I just want to from here on now talk Jacksonville Jaguars content even if someone disagrees with me because we all want the team to be successful.

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Every player gambles. With their life. On the football field.

#ItWasAlwaysTheJags
#DanMoldea
#Ridley'sBelieveItOrNot

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

Yeah I think we will get an idea in camp how this is going to work out. It seems like from his twitter he is ready to rock.

https://twitter.com/calvinridley1/status...D_1UmeNgsg

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I'm just praying he comes back looking like the Calvin Ridley of 2020.

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What about Watson? Did he look good after coming back?

I’ll see your Watson and I’ll raise you Le’Veon Bell.

Both of those situations are completely different, not to mention different positions as well.

Ridley wont be coming back cold in week 12 like Watson did. If reinstated (which he should be), he'll be there for every camp, OTAs, preseason, season etc. He'll have plenty of time to knock off the rust for game 1, unlike Watson who had to come back in the middle of the season cold and try to play QB. You know the hardest position in the league to play.

He was away from his team mid season for nearly 3 months, then asked to come right back in and lead them, that had failure written all over it. Not to mention where his head had to be at due to all the legal stuff he was/is dealing with.

Bell was simply just beat up and worn down. He knew it and that's why he tried to hold out so he could get paid. He knew his body was failing due to the beating he took in College and those 5 previous seasons in the NFL. Between 3 years in College and 5 seasons in the league before his hold out, he had a combined total of 2301 touches (414 touches in his final college season).

Take away his freshman and sophomore college season and he had just under 2000 total touches in only 6 seasons of Football (he missed 18 games during those 5 NFL seasons as well or the number would be even higher). He led the league in carries with 321 the season before he held out. He knew he was about done and that's why he tried to cash in one last time.

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What about Watson? Did he look good after coming back?

I’ll see your Watson and I’ll raise you Le’Veon Bell.

Bell sat out one season.

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I’ll see your Watson and I’ll raise you Le’Veon Bell.

Both of those situations are completely different, not to mention different positions as well.

Ridley wont be coming back cold in week 12 like Watson did. If reinstated (which he should be), he'll be there for every camp, OTAs, preseason, season etc. He'll have plenty of time to knock off the rust for game 1, unlike Watson who had to come back in the middle of the season cold and try to play QB. You know the hardest position in the league to play.

He was away from his team mid season for nearly 3 months, then asked to come right back in and lead them, that had failure written all over it. Not to mention where his head had to be at due to all the legal stuff he was/is dealing with.

Bell was simply just beat up and worn down. He knew it and that's why he tried to hold out so he could get paid. He knew his body was failing due to the beating he took in College and those 5 previous seasons in the NFL. Between 3 years in College and 5 seasons in the league before his hold out, he had a combined total of 2301 touches (414 touches in his final college season).

Take away his freshman and sophomore college season and he had just under 2000 total touches in only 6 seasons of Football (he missed 18 games during those 5 NFL seasons as well or the number would be even higher). He led the league in carries with 321 the season before he held out. He knew he was about done and that's why he tried to cash in one last time.

I think I’ll just need to see it before I believe it.

Ridley very well could come back and be very good. But it’s also just as likely that he’s not the same guy he was before.

But if Ridley hits and they can get better interior OLine play? Wooo boy. You’re talking about Trevor possibly having 35-40 TDs.

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I’ll see your Watson and I’ll raise you Le’Veon Bell.

Bell sat out one season.

And?

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Bell sat out one season.

And?

Was talking about people that sat out almost 2 whole seasons and you brought up Bell.  Ridley and Watson sat out almost 2 seasons. Bell sat out for 1

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Plaxico Burress took two years "off" and came back with 612 yards and 8 touchdowns at 34 years old.

There is a wide spectrum of "return to football" stories out there. They are all different.
Ridley is allowed to have his own comeback and it doesn't have to be just like any prior example we can dig up here.

I'm cautiously optimistic based on the limited info we have.

I agree, I am not so cautious in my optimisim tho. I think his best days are ahead of him, he's only 28 and he should be fresh and he seems pumped to be here.

In 2020 you could argue he was the best route running WR in the NFL.. he's gonna be dangerous and he's going to make Christian Kirk even more so.

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Ricky Williams retired for 1 year, came back for 1 year and then basically lost 2 years to suspension and injury.

He was productive after both missed periods. He was not the elite back he was prior, though part of that was that Miami was splitting carries and started doing the Wildcat offense to confuse teams. Plus RB age faster than WR's.

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Ricky Williams retired for 1 year, came back for 1 year and then basically lost 2 years to suspension and injury.

He was productive after both missed periods. He was not the elite back he was prior, though part of that was that Miami was splitting carries and started doing the Wildcat offense to confuse teams. Plus RB age faster than WR's.

Ridley missed a year and a half with no injury.  Etienne missed 1 whole year with a bad injury and came back and in his first year in the league had over 1300 yards

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Calvin is going to eat next year.

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Respect the game.  Play with a sense of urgency. 


1.)  Take care of the ball.  Win the turnover battle.

2.)  It's all about 3rd down.  Win on 3rd down to win the game.

3.) Playmakers make plays.  The only reason that you put your uniform on is to make plays. In order to EARN your paycheck, you must make plays.  

Learn from the great collapse of 2023.  

Calvin is going to eat next year.

Keep him away from the casino buffets though.

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“An empty vessel makes the loudest sound, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”. - Plato

Plaxico Burress took two years "off" and came back with 612 yards and 8 touchdowns at 34 years old.

There is a wide spectrum of "return to football" stories out there. They are all different.
Ridley is allowed to have his own comeback and it doesn't have to be just like any prior example we can dig up here.

I'm cautiously optimistic based on the limited info we have.

I’m optimistic too but I think a lot of people see it as a guarantee and I’m still a tad skeptical.

Which is also why I may still lean Quentin Johnson or Addison if they’re there. 

Long ways to go though before the draft.

That’s all I’m saying as well. I’m not saying go WR early in the draft at all costs but if value lines up don’t hesitate.  I think you operate under the assumption that Ridley is here in 2023 only until proven otherwise which won’t be known until after the 2023 draft.  Let him put  the front office in a difficult decision next off-season if he outperforms, is a model citizen and either Zay or Kirk underwhelms a bit.  There are worse problems to have.

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I’m optimistic too but I think a lot of people see it as a guarantee and I’m still a tad skeptical.

Which is also why I may still lean Quentin Johnson or Addison if they’re there. 

Long ways to go though before the draft.

That’s all I’m saying as well. I’m not saying go WR early in the draft at all costs but if value lines up don’t hesitate.  I think you operate under the assumption that Ridley is here in 2023 only until proven otherwise which won’t be known until after the 2023 draft.  Let him put  the front office in a difficult decision next off-season if he outperforms, is a model citizen and either Zay or Kirk underwhelms a bit.  There are worse problems to have.

I dont think we take WR's off the board because we got Ridley lol.  If one is at the top of the board when we pick im sure they will take one.

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