4 free agents Browns were wise to avoid

2. Calvin Ridley, WR

Another wideout that was thrown around as a possibility ahead of free agency was Calvin Ridley. A product of Alabama, he would have given them someone who runs crisp routes much in the same way Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy can but he hasn't really lived up to his potential.

Ridley was taken 26th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and spent four years with the Atlanta Falcons. He had a huge campaign in 2020 when he caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns. But then, he stepped away from the league after five games in 2021.

He was then suspended by the NFL for violating their gambling policy and missed the entire 2022 campaign. He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is where he continued his career this past season.

With the Jags, Ridley had 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers were good but he never really took over a game. He then signed a massive four-year contract with the Tennessee Titans worth $92 million, $50 million of which is guaranteed.

This contract is exactly why several teams shy away from free agency altogether. Ridley is a very good wideout but he was just paid to be a game-changer, which he hasn't been to this point in his career.