Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley fully reinstated following suspension for violating NFL’s gambling policy

Calvin Ridley is officially back.

The NFL announced on Monday that it has fully reinstated Ridley, who has been suspended indefinitely since March 2022 for violating the league’s gambling policy.

Ridley is eligible to participate in all team events effective immediately. Jacksonville Begins off-season training April 17.

“The Jaguars organization is aware of the NFL’s decision to reinstate Calvin Ridley,” the team said in a statement Monday. “We look forward to building a relationship with Calvin both as an individual and as a player. Calvin is a proven playmaker and we are thrilled to see him compete against his new teammates, first during our off-season program in April and then into the 2023 season as we collectively aim for a championship in Jacksonville.”

In November, the Jacksonville Jaguars entered into a deal with the Atlanta Falcons on a set date to acquire Ridley. The deal included a 2023 fifth-round pick (subject to reinstatement). The 2024 pick will be at least fourth if there is a wide team on the list. It could be a third round if Ridley plays a certain number of snaps, and a second round if the Jags sign a new lat.

Ridley’s recovery is a huge boon for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense. The 28-year-old combines the ability to stretch on the field with a clear run on the route. In his first three seasons in Atlanta, the former first-round pick had 3,061 yards and 26 touchdowns on 217 catches.

At the end of October 2021, Ridley announced that he was leaving the club to focus on his mental health. Then came the year-long disqualification.

“Today’s NFL reinstatement ends a challenging chapter in my professional career that I made myself and started with a single error in judgment,” Ridley said in a statement Monday. “I have always admitted my mistakes and this is no different. I have a lot of respect for the game and I’m happy to be able 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.”

In Jacksonville, Ridley will pair well with Christian Kirk and Zay Jones in the Jags’ receiving corps. Ridley’s ability to win from the line of scrimmage should offer Lawrence an easy finish and a conscientious attack that was lacking last season. Given that Evan Angram, of franchise fame, is also present in Jacksonville, the Duval attack could become eerily funny in 2023.