WR Calvin Ridley: ‘I really wanted to be with’ Jaguars but Titans had 'that other side for me’

Calvin Ridley delivered perhaps the biggest surprise of early free agency by joining the Titans.

Choosing to pass on a re-up with the Jaguars, Ridley instead saw greener pastures with the AFC South's last-place finisher, Tennessee, in part because of the role he hoped to play in helping the team back to contender status.

"I think, playing them twice a year, I was watching them and looking at the things they did have," Ridley said Friday during his introductory news conference. "I know that D-Hop's (DeAndre Hopkins) here -- and I know that I wanted to play with another receiver on the other side that could help me do what I do best. I know that they had a really good defense and were upcoming and stuff. I was looking into it. I really wanted to be with the Jags, but there's a lot of things that wasn't working out for me and then I think the Titans had that other side for me, so I chose the Titans. Obviously, the money was pretty good, so I went with that."

In terms of the side of the equation that the Titans fulfill for Ridley -- his desired role -- the wideout is intent on increasing the pull of his orbit for an offense in need.

"Jacksonville, they have a lot of weapons over there and sometimes when I was there, I was like, feeling a little weird because I was always someone who wants the ball and I want to crack the game for us," he said. "I want to be the guy who's, you know -- keep me into the game all game. So, I was like, really, coming over here and I want to do my thing, take over. I want to bring this team, shoot this team through the roof in any way I can to help."

The weapons Ridley is leaving behind in Jacksonville include tight end Evan Engram, running back Travis Etienne and wide receivers Zay Jones and Christian