The Tennessee Titans have secured just one victory by Week 8 of the NFL season. Currently, they are at the bottom of the AFC SOUTH division. But their struggles don’t end there. With the trade deadline of November 4th fast approaching, a star WR could be set to bid farewell to the team.

According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, Calvin Ridley has now emerged as a trade target just two days before the final trade deadline.

“The Tennessee Titans have been a frequent recipient of trade calls, with most of the focus on defenders such as Arden Key, Dre’Mont Jones, and T’Vondre Sweat. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley also has emerged as a potential trade target, sources say,” Rapoport noted.

According to Rapoport, there are multiple playoff-bound teams on the hunt for a WR, and Ridley could be a great option. However, his hamstring injury can complicate things. Another major challenge is his current contract. Ridley has $23 million due this year, much of which comes as part of his base salary.

Ridley signed a four-year, $92 million contract with the Titans in 2024, which includes an average annual salary of $23 million. This is the challenge Ian Rapoport mentions when talking about the contract. The contract also mentions a base salary of $22.49 million. Ridley is also carrying a cap hit of about $28 million and a dead cap value of about $40 million. Apart from this, he is still owed $3 million in guarantees in 2026.

Thus far, Ridley has appeared in six games in the 2025 season and has recorded 16 receptions for 290 yards (18.1 YPC) and zero touchdowns. His season hit an abrupt snag due to a hamstring injury, which kept him sidelined for three games. Despite that, Rapoport noted that a trade could still happen if a motivated buyer emerges. If it does, it would mark the Titans’ second major setback.

Veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett has already departed. After the Titans suffered the 31-13 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 7, Lockett requested that the management allow him to pursue other opportunities. His request was granted on 20th October. However, at that time, nobody knew that there would be rumors of the Titans losing another key player.

For rookie quarterback Cam Ward, losing Ridley would be another tough blow for the Titans, but it’ll be worth watching where the veteran receiver might land if the deal goes through.

Calvin Ridley’s locker room options

Any team planning to acquire Ridley before the trade deadline will need to adjust its cap space for 2025 and the next two years. This could limit the trade offers that arrive. Still, there are possible contenders out there that could line up for the WR.

The New England Patriots are the top potential buyer for Ridley, having aggressively pursued him in 2024. The addition of Ridley to the Patriots can help the team get another strong weapon for quarterback Drake Maye. Additionally, in 2025, the Patriots have the most cap space available. This could be used to adjust Ridley’s financial situation.

Another team that could target Ridley is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although the Steelers have included DK Metcalf during the offseason, they are still feeling the absence of wide receiver George Pickens on the team. The addition of Ridley can help the team’s WR department.

For the Titans, though, the situation looks more complicated. They’ll need to find a way to fill the gaps left by departing players and recover from what has been a tough NFL season.