Here’s the rub of writing for a newspaper in 2024.

You hit publish one night, and can look like a fool the next day.

For example, let’s say I had wanted to write a short-sighted column Monday evening criticizing the Patriots for a slow start to free agency.

Bam.

Mike Onwenu became the highest-paid offensive lineman in franchise history that night, and a new quarterback joined the party less than an hour later. The Pats addressed two of their biggest needs, but instead in Tuesday’s paper there’s me, smiling in my headshot and ranting in print, a clueless dope.

On Tuesday, the Patriots were expected to be more aggressive and perhaps add the top wide receiver on the market, Calvin Ridley. It’s well-known Ridley resides at the top of their free-agent board, and the most recent reports indicate his choices are down to the Patriots and Jaguars.

So what gives for the team armed with the most cap space in the NFL?

And selfishly, sitting here Tuesday evening, with a long night to go before dads across New England take a Tony Soprano saunter down the driveway to fetch their morning Herald, would flogging the Pats for not signing Ridley be fair game — or a stupid risk in case he signs overnight?

I’ve landed here: it would be a mistake, but not for the reason you might think.

Ridley, it seems, is the one who insists on waiting — not the Patriots — and he’s doing so to both leverage his old team and do them a favor.

Because one of the conditions of Ridley’s trade from Atlanta to Jacksonville in Nov. 2022 is the Jaguars would owe a second-round pick to the Falcons if he ever signed an extension. If not, Atlanta would receive a third-round pick. Thus, it behooves Ridley and Jacksonville to wait until the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m. when his current contract will officially expire, and any new deal becomes a fresh, free-agent contract instead of an extension.

According to ESPN, Ridley is leaning toward picking the Jaguars, but hasn’t decided. It may be that Ridley is attempting to squeeze more money from Jacksonville, but at this point, he’s down to two suitors. The figures are known, and the Patriots must figure their offer is at least comparable, while realizing the Jaguars also hold the following over them: zero income tax, a Pro Bowl quarterback, better weather and a deeper roster that’s made a more recent playoff run.

Now if you’re the Pats, it would be tempting to make Ridley an offer he can’t refuse and usher him north. Offer a contract worth, say, $27 million or more per year, making him the third-highest player at his position on an average annual basis. Or screw it. Hand the man a blank check.

Just get Ridley in the building. Scratch this five-year itch for a difference-making receiver. Get him and continue charging into this new era.

But consider: Ridley is 29, meaning his athletic prime may be behind him. He was also suspended for the entire 2022 season for playing three bets in Nov. 2021, a time when he stepped away from Atlanta to address his mental health issues and played just five games. (For the record: Ridley is in a better place now, and he has since been open about his battles with anxiety and depression, while owning up to his gambling error.)

Of course, if he joined the Patriots, not only would Ridley fill a gaping roster hole, but he would almost single-handedly deodorize their entire stinking offense. But, taking all of his recent history within the context of zero career Pro Bowls, just two 1,000-yard seasons since entering the league in 2018 and never entering the conversation for top-10 receivers in the league, would a top-3 deal for him make sense?

After a potential future Hall of Famer, Mike Evans, just reached terms at $20.5 million a year? Probably not.

So we wait, and hope the Patriots either land Ridley at a semi-reasonable number or act on Plan B. Because any goal without a plan is just as wish, and wishes scare opponents about as well as the Patriots’ current receivers.

So what might Plan B be?

Well, considering the free-agent market only one No. 2 receiver left — Marquise Brown — the Pats are turning to the draft and picking up the phone.

According to the Herald’s Doug Kyed, the Patriots have already called to check on Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, while the Chargers front office rattles every window and picks every door lock to get out of cap hell. You might scoff at those names.

Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, turns 32 in April. Williams carries similar yellow flags as Ridley: he’s 29 with only two 1,000-yard seasons to his resume and several missed games the past two games.

The upside: because of the cap relief it would provide the Chargers, acquiring either receiver via trade should only cost a late-round pick, if anything. Both players are also entering contract years, meaning if things go south next season, the Pats can let them walk or get a head start on negotiations if they exceed expectations.

OK, what about potential trade target Brandon Aiyuk? The dynamic 49ers receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract, meaning the Patriots would owe San Francisco and Aiyuk a pretty penny to secure his services long-term. Aiyuk, entering his age-26 season, is sure to have several suitors, if the Niners don’t lock him up beforehand.

Lastly, there’s Bengals stud Tee Higgins. Cincinnati, still with its Super Bowl window wide open, probably tells Eliot Wolf (and most GMs) to kick rocks with open-toed shoes. Higgins is staying put. That’s the whole point of the franchise tag, which the team slapped on Higgins last month.

Or maybe not. Maybe the Patriots swing big and land one of these wideouts overnight. Problem solved.

In that case, good morning. Well done.

If not, good luck.