From a distance, the idea of the Chicago Bears drafting Calvin Ridley makes perfect sense. They were the worst passing team in the NFL this season, throwing for just 3,085 yards. None of their wide receivers managed to go over 700 for the season. Their two best options were both lost. Alshon Jeffery became a free agent. Cameron Meredith tore his ACL. The position is likely poised for a giant overhaul in 2018.
This is why Ridley is a constant part of the conversation. Nearly every draft expert agrees he’s the best wide receiver in the draft and by a considerable margin. This might be hard to accept considering he has just 2,781 yards receiving with 19 touchdowns in three seasons. By comparison, Courtland Sutton, another of the top receivers, has 3,193 yards and 31 touchdowns over that same span.
What makes Ridley so special? In these cases, context is so important. Not only does Ridley play on a run-oriented team in Alabama, he was also their sole receiving threat. This past year Ridley had 967 yards. The next closest on the team was Jerry Jeudy with 264. The Crimson Tide ran the ball 612 times. SMU, Sutton’s school, ran it just 486 times. Sutton had far more opportunities and wasn’t even the leading receiver on his team.
Ridley was far more effective despite limited chances and every defense knowing he was the sole credible threat in the passing game. So again, why are so many Bears fans reluctant to make him the #8 overall pick?
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Bears drafting Calvin Ridley comes down to age
The big hangup has nothing to do with ability. Ridley has speed, strong hands, runs sharp routes and is plenty physical despite his seemingly thinner frame. A constant big play waiting to happen. Concerns stem from his age. Ridley is 23-years old and will turn 24 before the end of the 2018 season. That isn’t ancient for a rookie but it’s older than normal. Generally, players taken in the top 10 are expected to be franchise anchors who can play at a prime rate for at least a decade. Ridley will be almost 30 before his rookie contract is even up.
Robert Zeglinski of Windy City Gridiron made a strong point about why drafting him #8 overall carries such risk.
“Back in relation to (Amari) Cooper, the struggles he’s gone through in his NFL career from inconsistent hands, adjusting to navigating complex coverages, to confidence, are all things that young players go through in contrasting manners. Not that it’s guaranteed, but Ridley will likely go through at least one of these mentioned trials to acclimate as a pro. If the Bears give him the opportunity to learn under their watch, it’ll come at the expense of essentially at least two lost seasons in comparison to other receivers coming in.”
It’s a hard point to argue. Teams want to maximize their top picks however possible. That includes longevity. Drafting an older player comes with plenty of risks. However, people might be overselling this fear a little bit.
History says age doesn’t determine whether a player is great
Since the start of the Super Bowl era, 58 players were drafted in the first round who turned 24 or older that season. At present 18 of them made at least one Pro Bowl, seven had careers that spanned 10 or seasons and three reside in the Hall of Fame. The more amazing part is the hit rate is even better at wide receiver.
In that same span, three receivers have gone in the first round who was 24-years old. All three of them made at least one Pro Bowl and one is in the Hall of Fame. His name was Marvin Harrison.
Harrison got taken out of Syracuse by the Indianapolis Colts in 1996. Unlike Ridley, he actually turned 24 before the NFL season began that year on August 25th. Did the Colts regret their decision? Not in the slightest. Harrison went to eight-straight Pro Bowls between 1999 and 2006, going over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of those seasons. The last came when he was 34-years old, the same year the Colts won the Super Bowl.
The point is draft age does not determine the greatness of a player. Harrison didn’t have his first 1,000-yard season until he was 27. That didn’t seem to slow him up much. If a player is meant to be great, they find a way. That’s always how it’s been in sports. All the Chicago Bears need to worry about is answering this simple question.
Is Calvin Ridley a good football player and can he help them win games? The answer is yes to both.
