Tag: Desmond Ridder

Raheem Morris explains Falcons’ decision to trade QB Desmond Ridder

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on Ridder trade: “Desmond was a great kid and he did not come to us and demand a trade or anything”

The 2023 season was a major disappointment for the Atlanta Falcons, but things might have gone differently had former head coach Arthur Smith gone in another direction at quarterback. The team went into the season with second-year QB Desmond Ridder and the results weren’t pretty.

In Ridder’s defense, he probably shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place. Smith stubbornly sat the young quarterback in the preseason and then went back and forth between Ridder and Taylor Heinicke despite insisting he wouldn’t play “musical chairs.”

The Falcons replaced Smith with Raheem Morris in the offseason and the first thing he did was sign free-agent QB Kirk Cousins. The team then traded Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Rondale Moore.

Morris told reporters at the NFL owners meeting that Ridder did not demand a trade and that the team simply had a chance to add some speed at receiver.

“Desmond was a great kid and he did not come to us and demand a trade or anything,” said Morris. “He was in working out, doing the things he was supposed to do. The opportunity presented for us to add speed.”

A fresh start was probably the best thing for both parties. Ridder is a better fit for Arizona’s scheme than he would have been in Atlanta with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson taking over.

The former third-round pick will get a chance to sit and learn behind Cardinals QB Kyler Murray this season. Ridder went 8-9 in his 17 starts with the Falcons, passing for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a passer rating of 84.1.

The 2022 NFL Draft is cemented as one of the worst quarterback classes in history

The ’22 draft class at quarterback has proven to be one of the worst ever

Looking back on the 2022 NFL Draft, the narrative going in was the mixed bag of a quarterback class. It was headlined by Pittsburgh Panther Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati’s leader in Desmond Ridder and the explosive Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. Fast forward to just two drafts later, and none of the top quarterbacks from that class find themselves in a starting role, and most of them find themselves hanging on a thread for their NFL career.

In just the past week, three of the quarterbacks from that class who opened the last season as their team’s starter found themselves shipped off to another team. Sam Howell, Kenny Pickett, and Desmond Ridder were all moved off in favor of a veteran or a future rookie draft pick.

The only reason this class will likely not be considered a total bust is, ironically enough, the final pick in the entire draft with former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, who is coming off a Super Bowl appearance. It goes to show that the quarterback draft process can, at times, be a bit of a crap shoot. With top projected talents falling out of the first round, others quickly failing at the next level, and the ones no one ever expected becoming heroes of their franchise.

What to know about new Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder

Falcons Wire managing editor Matt Urben gives us a little bit of a scouting report of the Cardinals’ new backup QB.

One of the moves the Arizona Cardinals made in the first week of the new league was trading receiver Rondale Moore to the Atlanta Falcons for quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder now is slated to be the Cardinals’ backup quarterback to Kyler Murray.

What should we know about Ridder?

Falcons Wire managing editor Matt Urben gives us this report:

He’s a decent game manager who still needs to become more consistent and better at processing defenses. He has a good arm with adequate arm strength. Ridder is actually pretty quick but his lack of pocket awareness makes him seem slower than he is.

The former third-round pick had some nice moments, but turned the ball over too much last season to keep the starting job. I still think he has quite a bit of upside. Truthfully, Atlanta threw him out there last year when he was nowhere near ready and it’s likely the reason that Arthur Smith got fired. In the right situation, he can still develop into a starting-caliber quarterback.

Ridder should be a quality back up for Kyler Murray.

Through two seasons, Ridder is 8-9 in 17 starts. He has completed 64% of his passes for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.

He is athletic and can run. He had 53 rushing attempts for 193 yards last season and scored five touchdowns.

He was sacked 31 times in 2023.

When the Falcons played the Cardinals in 2023, Ridder did not start. However, when starter Taylor Heinicke got injured, Ridder came in during the fourth quarter and put the Falcons in position to get a win.

He completed 4-of-6 passes for 39 yards. He also rushed three times for 11 yards. Trailing 22-17, he scored a go-ahead nine-yard touchdown run with 2:33 left in the game to give the Falcons a 23-22 lead. Had Kyler Murray not led the Cardinals to a game-winning field goal to win the game, it would have been Ridder’s third fourth-quarter comeback of the season and fifth game-winning drive of 2023.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

QB Desmond Ridder already friends with new Cardinals teammate Clayton Tune

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder will be competing with Tune, a friend, for the backup role behind Kyler Murray.

The Arizona Cardinals have a new quarterback on the team in Desmond Ridder, acquired in a trade this week with the Atlanta Falcons for wide receiver Rondale Moore. Ridder does not know Kyler Murray but does already have a friend on the team.

Per a story on the official team site, Ridder is already friends with Clayton Tune, the Cardinals’ backup quarterback last season as a rookie fifth-round pick out of Houston.

Ridder first met Tune last year when Ridder was doing offseason training after his rookie season and Tune was at the same facility training for the Combine and draft. The two also had some mutual connections and faced each other in college when Tune was playing for Houston and Ridder for Cincinnati.

Now they will be competitors. Ridder is definitely favored to win the backup job. Last season, the Cardinals kept only two quarterbacks on the active roster. If that is the plan again in 2024, Ridder and Tune will be battling for a roster spot.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1363]

Arthur Blank says Falcons ‘have to figure out’ future at QB position

Falcons owner Arthur Blank on future at QB: “This is a position we have to figure out how we’re going to get better in 2024 and beyond”

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank wasn’t able to attend head coach Raheem Morris’ introductory press conference last week due to a medical condition. Now that Blank is feeling better, he decided to hold a virtual press conference with reporters on Friday afternoon.

Blank discussed several topics, from the recent Bill Belichick rumors to the future of the quarterback position in Atlanta. According to Blank, the team never offered Belichick the head coach job.

As for the quarterbacks, the Falcons owner didn’t offer a clear picture of the team’s plans. “This is a position we have to figure out how we’re going to get better in 2024 and beyond.”

All 32 NFL QBs (including Panthers’ Bryce Young) ranked by passer rating for the 2023 regular season

32 starting QBs ranked by their 2023 passer ratings

Well, let’s just look back at this like a “Started from the bottom, now we here” meme by next year, shall we?

Here are all 32 NFL quarterbacks, including Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, ranked by passer rating from the 2023 season:

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris comments on QB situation

Morris: “I got a lot of confidence in the people that are going to be able to help me and be a part of finding our next QB to move forward”

The Atlanta Falcons formally introduced head coach Raheem Morris during a press conference on Monday afternoon. Fans have many questions about the direction of the team, but the most pressing issue is the quarterback position.

Inconsistency from quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke was arguably the biggest reason the team missed the playoffs in 2023. So what is Morris planning to do at QB this season?

The Falcons’ new head coach said the team has had “some conversations” about quarterbacks, but that they’ve mostly been concerned with putting together a coaching staff. Morris did offer his take on what he values in a quarterback.

“When you get those guys that are elite processors,” said Morris. “When you get those guys that are decision-makers. When you get those guys that can just cut it loose and play ball, it makes you excited.”

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the people that are going to be able to help me and be a part of finding our next quarterback to move forward,” said Morris.

Morris did say they were planning to have more conversations soon and that they’ll explore all options, including free agency, the draft, or a trade. Make sure to check out our 10 takeaways from Monday afternoon’s press conference in Atlanta.

Falcons interviewed Eagles’ OC Brian Johnson for vacant head coaching position

The Atlanta Falcons are set to interview Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson for their vacant head coaching job

It’s currently unknown if Brian Johnson will return to Philadelphia as the Eagle’s offensive coordinator, but he’s certainly racking up the head coaching interview.

The Panthers and Titans had previously expressed interest in Johnson, and Adam Schefter is reporting that the former Utah quarterback will interview with the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta is said to have a second interview scheduled with former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, and the interview with Johnson could be just a way to comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule.

Johnson is in his third season with the Eagles and was promoted to offensive coordinator following the 2022 campaign when Philadelphia finished 14-3 en route to a Super Bowl LVII appearance.

Before being named offensive coordinator, Johnson was the Eagles quarterbacks coach from 2021-22, playing a crucial role in the development of Jalen Hurts, who posted the second-highest winning percentage (.733, 22-8) among NFL quarterbacks in that span, trailing only Patrick Mahomes (.765, 26-8).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=15489]

Falcons owner Arthur Blank doubles down on decision to not pursue QB Lamar Jackson

Arthur Blank does not regret choosing to not pursue Lamar Jackson

Following the end of the regular season, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with the media.

After a season in which the team missed the playoffs and finished third in the AFC South with a 7-10 record, mainly in part due to uneven play at the quarterback position, Blank was asked if it was a mistake not to pursue Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson this past offseason when the former MVP was made available for trade offers.

“I don’t think so,” Blank said. “He’s obviously an incredible player. We did not have the cap space. We felt we had an answer in [Desmond] Ridder, a younger player without that kind of contract that would have kept us from actually building the team we wanted to build.”

Baltimore likely would have matched any offer, but Atlanta could have made things hard by guaranteeing most, if not all, of the deal the way Cleveland did for Deshaun Watson.

The Falcons now find themselves searching for their next quarterback and head coach, while Jackson has led the Ravens to a league-best 13-4 record and is potentially in line to win the second MVP title of his sixth-year career.

WATCH: Alontae Taylor comes in off the bench for his second career interception

WATCH: Alontae Taylor comes in off the bench for his second career interception

Alontae Taylor’s Sunday afternoon didn’t start off well, but credit to the young cornerback for turning it around. Taylor was benched after a couple of early mistakes led to long scores by the Atlanta Falcons, with the New Orleans Saints coaching staff replacing him in the slot with veteran safety Ugo Amadi.

But Taylor rallied back when they later switched up the personnel to put him into the game as a boundary corner, replacing Isaac Yiadom. Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder made a bad mistake with the football and threw it right into Taylor’s chest, gifting the cornerback his second career interception in as many weeks.

This is where Taylor needs to be playing full-time. It’s clear by now that he isn’t suited to lining up in the slot, which makes sense given his lack of experience in that role going into the season. He’s a good player, especially when playing his natural position out wide, and the Saints need to find a way to keep him there this offseason.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]