Tag: Desmond Ridder

Cardinals HC explains how backup QB competition continues after final cuts

Jonathan Gannon explains how Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune are still in competition with one another.

For now, at least, quarterback Clayton Tune is the backup to Kyler Murray on the Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man roster.

However, head coach Jonathan Gannon made it clear Wednesday that even though Tune won a “close” competition, the battle continues with Desmond Ridder signed to the practice squad after being waived Tuesday.

“It’s an all-encompassing role playing the backup quarterback,” Gannon said. “I thought he (Tune) did a really good job. Thought he improved his game from last year to this year. Command, playing fast, taking care of the ball. It was really close. They both did a really good job.”

Gannon also addressed what looked to be a bad interception by Tune near the end of Sunday’s preseason game against the Broncos and without being specific relieved some of the blame from the quarterback.

He said, “That interception goes to show you, to the naked eye, looks like it’s on him. (But) all 11 guys gotta do their job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

When asked his specific thoughts on Ridder, Gannon said, “I want Des back. I think he can help us. Just because he’s on the practice squad and Clayton is the two, Clayton knows there’s competition every day for that spot.”

That prompted a question wondering how the backups can be developed during the regular season and compete when there are so few snaps available in practice.

Gannon relished that question, by saying, “I would love to talk about this.”

He then did, expansively, explaining, “We do some different things to make sure that we are playing football throughout the week and not just carding everything. I learned that from (Eagles head coach) Nick Sirianni. (He) was the first guy to do it like that, talking about it with different staff members, things like that. He had his reasons why he did that.”

Gannon brought it with him to Arizona and said, “We run cards. We don’t run a ton of cards and there’s reasons behind that. One of them being we need to see guys that are backups or on the practice squad play football and develop. In the practice squad, I’ll tell those guys on Monday, and they know this: It’s not a landing spot, it’s really a trampoline. If you’re not improving your game, and you’re gonna get times to show that you are improving your game, and if you’re not, we’re gonna replace you. That’s the nature of that spot.”

He believes the practice approach was helpful during the 2023 season.

“I feel really good that’s one of the reasons, and we’ll see this year, but last year we did improve as the season kept going,” he said. “I think how we set up practice; that was one of the reasons. I didn’t come up with it. I’d never done it like that through my whole time in the NFL and Coach Sirianni did.

“And I saw the value of that. It’s a little bit different, but we structure it like that.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Former Cincinnati quarterback released by Arizona Cardinals

Former Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday.

Life comes at you fast. One day you’re a 23-year-old NFL starting quarterback, two years removed from a top ten finish in the Heisman Trophy race, and the next you’re losing the competition to be a backup and getting waived just before your third NFL season.

That’s the sad reality for former Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday, according to a report from NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.

Ridder was a four year starter for the Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference, twice winning AAC Offensive Player of the Year and finishing eighth in Heisman voting in 2021.

That year the dynamic quarterback completed 251 passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading Cincinnati and coach Luke Fickell to a sparkly 13-1 record which ended with a 27-6 loss to Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.

Ridder was then picked in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, and by the end of his rookie year he had replaced Marcus Mariota under center – going 2-2 in four starts while completing 73 passes for 708 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Ridder then got the keys to the kingdom in 2023, but he took a step backward. The 24-year-old started 13 out of 15 games and went 6-7 with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, which ultimately led Atlanta to not only sign Kirk Cousins in the offseason, but also draft Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Ridder was then dealt to Arizona where he competed with former Houston quarterback Clayton Tune to back up Kyler Murray – a competition he ultimately lost.

With age and starting experience both on his side, Ridder will likely catch on somewhere as a practice squad/third string quarterback, but it is not always easy to get back atop the starting quarterback mountain once you’ve fallen off.

Former Falcons QB Desmond Ridder to be released by Cardinals

Former Falcons QB Desmond Ridder to be released by Cardinals, per report

The NFL is a brutal business but it doesn’t get much tougher than roster cutdown day. Hundreds of people will lose their jobs as teams trim their rosters from 90 players to 53 ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. The Atlanta Falcons have cut 15 players thus far, but they still have 22 more to go before 4:00 p.m. ET.

We’ve already seen some notable names released around the league. Former Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder has been cut by the Arizona Cardinals, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Atlanta drafted Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Cincinnati. Despite coming into the league as one of the most productive college quarterbacks in NCAA history, he struggled to find his groove at the professional level.

Ridder, 24, started 17 games for Atlanta over the last two seasons. In 2023, he appeared in 15 games (13 starts), passing for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Falcons decided to go in a different direction in 2024, sending Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore.

Ridder struggled in Arizona during training camp and was underwhelming in the preseason, completing 20 of 35 passes for 225 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. Keep up with each Falcons roster move using our 2024 cut tracker HERE!

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Cardinals releasing QB Desmond Ridder

Ridder was beaten out by Clayton Tune to be the Cardinals’ backup quarterback. We will see if they bring him back to the practice squad.

Third-year quarterback Desmond Ridder has lost the competition to be the Arizona Cardinals’ backup quarterback. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals are releasing Ridder among the moves to get the roster down to 53 players.

Ridder was acquired via trade this offseason from the Atlanta Falcons for receiver Rondale Moore.

He was the favorite to be the backup to Kyler Murray, but second-year quarterback Clayton Tune beat him, outperforming the former third-round pick in all three preseason contests.

Ridder’s release also answers the question about whether the Cardinals will keep three quarterbacks on the roster. They will not.

Now is the waiting game for Ridder. If he clears waivers, he can re-sign with the Cardinals on the practice squad. The Cardinals kept a third quarterback on the practice squad all last season.

Ridder has started 17 games in his NFL career, going 8-9 in those games. He has thrown 14 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in his career and has five career rushing touchdowns.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

4 Cardinals injuries that could impact roster decisions

Roster decisions are coming soon and injuries could impact those decisions.

The Arizona Cardinals played their final preseason game on Sunday, losing 38-12 to the Denver Broncos. They have until Tuesday afternoon to cut the roster down to 53 players. Some players suffered some injuries on Sunday that will impact those roster decisions.

Why?

Players with injuries are protected. You can’t trade or cut an injured player, unless he is waived with an injury designation, which causes him to land on injured reserve if not claimed.

For a player who was going to get cut, it means continuing to get paid.

Some of the injuries could impact the 53-man roster.

QB Desmond Ridder (concussion)

This is the most impactful situation because he is in concussion protocol. Ridder might get cut but can’t be while in the protocol. Clayton Tune appears to have beat out Ridder for the backup QB job, but if Ridder has not cleared concussion protocol by Tuesday, he will have to remain on the roster or be placed on injured reserve.

OL Christian Jones (leg)

Jones got hurt on the same play when Ridder got hit. Jones had to be carted to the locker room. He wasn’t expected to make the roster, but had they preferred to have him on the practice squad, he needs to be healthy. He might land on injured reserve and miss the year.

CB Elijah Jones (ankle)

Jones seemed like a lock for the roster because he was a third-round pick. But if they keep him on the roster, they will need to keep six cornerbacks.

RB Tony Jones Jr. (shoulder)

Jones probably wasn’t making the roster but did spend much of last season on the practice squad. If he isn’t cleared by Tuesday, he won’t be able to be on the practice squad.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals’ backup QB battle close to final decision

Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune are battling for the backup spot on the Cardinals. Drew Petzing is happy with how both have played.

The earth-shaking report came from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport Thursday, saying that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Clayton Tune would start in Sunday’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.

The report also claimed the Cardinals “could” keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster that will be named by 1 p.m. Arizona time Tuesday, but will also be fluid every day after that.

Well, of course, they “could.” They also could keep only two.

Tune was a fifth-round pick in 2023, while Ridder was acquired in a trade in March for wide receiver Rondale Moore, who is now on the Falcons’ injured reserve list.

In the first two preseason games and training camp, Tune has been the better player, especially with accuracy.

Thursday morning, when offensive coordinator Drew Petzing spoke to the media, he downplayed the significance of who starts a preseason game, while not confirming the plan for Sunday in Denver.

“I know people are going to make a big deal of who starts the game. I don’t really see it that way,” he said. “Competitions at every position are going to come down to final cuts. That’s the nature of this business; it’s the reality of training camp. So, excited to see those guys go out and play, and play at a high level and expect them to do that regardless of who is in the game first.”

Petzing said he’s liked what both players have done in the two games against the Saints and Colts.

He said, “The game-day operation; I thought it’s been pretty clean. I thought the ball is going where it should be. Certainly, there are some plays we’d like to have back. It takes 11 guys to operate an offense. So a lot of that is not always on their performance one way or the other, good and bad.

“A lot of it for the quarterback is decision-making, operation and are we doing we doing what we should be at the position. We’ve done some things well. There’s certainly things we need to clean up for both guys and that’s gonna be true throughout the year for everybody on this roster.”

Noting the importance of having backups prepared to play, Petzing said, “The reality of the NFL game is that guys get hurt. It’s unfortunate, but it’s real. The quarterback position had what, 60-plus starters last year in the National Football League? So, you want everybody on that roster, if they have a jersey, to be ready to go, ready to operate the offense, ready to give us the best chance to win.

“That’s preached in the meeting room as a team. It’s certainly preached by me as an offense. And that’s gotta be our mindset.”

As for how Tune has improved from his rookie season, Petzing said, “The pace of play is faster. He’s making decisions faster, in and out of the huddle he’s quicker. The operation; he’s not thinking. For Year 1, which is true for a lot of rookies, certainly at the quarterback position, you can almost watch them think as they play. Which is not ideal.

“Going into Year 2, it’s a lot more anticipation and a lot more like quick-twitch reaction rather than, ‘Oh they did this, now I do that.’ It’s like, ‘No, it’s I think they’re about to do this, so I’m going to be ready to do that. And I think that’s really helped speed up his process and allowed him to play at a good level.”

Of Ridder, Petzing said, “He came in here and learned the offense very quickly and put himself in position to be part of this competition.”

However, the big question remains: Will the Cardinals keep two or three quarterbacks? Asked what he would prefer, noting it’s not his call and that general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon will do that, Petzing smiled and said, “That’s the best part about it; I don’t have to make that decision.”

He then said, “If you have guys that play the position at a high level, you absolutely want them on the roster. We talked about it; 60-plus guys started (last season). You never know who you’re gonna need at what point.”

Of course, he knows it’s not as simple as keeping two or three.

“There’s so many things that go into that conversation and it’s usually not just about that position,” Petzing said. “It’s about a number of other positions and how it fits the roster. That’s gonna be a job for Monti and JG to work through here over the next couple days. Certainly, I want to make that conversation hard on them and make sure that they’re really confident that those guys are ready to go regardless of who’s called in to play the game.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Backup QB battle also battle with other players, positions

Desmond Ridder and Clayton Tune battle for the No. 2 QB spot but the eventual No. 3 is battling for a spot on the roster with other positions.

As the Arizona Cardinals are in training camp, one of the more notable roster and position battles is at quarterback — well, at the backup quarterback position behind Kyler Murray, who is very clearly the starter.

It is between Desmond Ridder, acquired via trade in the offseason, and Clayton Tune, drafted in the fifth round a year ago and who was the backup in 2023.

Ridder has 17 games of starting experience in two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and has very average numbers — an 8-9 record with 14 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.

Tune started one game as a rookie and it was horrendous — 0 points, 62 yards, two interceptions, seven sacks.

How has the competition been?

“They’ve both been good,” head coach Jonathan Gannon on Thursday. “(QB coach Israel Woolfork) has done a good job with those guys and they know it’s a healthy competition that’s going to be competitive for the two-three spot.”

Gannon referred to both of them as “mature, self-aware, consistent guys.”

There is a plan in place for giving them reps with the first, second and third-team offense.

But the quarterback battle isn’t just a battle for who is the backup. It is also a battle to be on the roster for the third quarterback.

The Cardinals only kept two quarterbacks on the active roster all last season. A third — Jeff Driskel — was on the practice squad.

But whether they keep two or three is not so much a battle with each other. It is a battle with other players on the roster.

“There’s a trickle-down effect to the entire roster that that affects, so in essence we talked about competing for your role,” Gannon explained. “OK, so I’m a DB and I’m competing vs. these other DBs. I’m also competing against that receiver, that tight end, that back because what you do on game day and all three phases applies to that and it’s a reality in the NFL and our guys know that.

“It sounds harsh as I said that, but it’s the reality.”

So while there will be a competition between Ridder and Tune for the No. 2 spot, each is also battling to make the team over another player at another position if he is going to be QB3.

Gannon didn’t give any clues as to whether Ridder or Tune leads the competition.

That will be determined in the weeks to come.

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

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Marvin Harrison Jr. only needed a conversation with BJ Ojulari to get No. 18

There was no transaction between BJ Ojulari and Marvin Harrison Jr. to get the rookie No. 18, which he wore at Ohio State.

As we know, rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will wear No. 18 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. It was the number he wore at Ohio State.

However, 2023 second-round pick BJ Ojulari had No. 18 entering this season.

Ojulari now wears No. 9 after giving up No. 18 to Harrison.

It didn’t require a tough negotiation, Ojulari told team reporter Darren Urban.

It was “just an agreement between mutual parties.”

“(Marvin) wore 18 in college, I wore 18 in college, and it means a lot to both of us, but we all came to an agreement to let him have 18,” Ojulari told Urban. “He’s going to be a big part of our offense this year and he’s a great guy.

“He approached me. He gave me a call, we chopped it up, had a good conversation. We all ended up happy. I switched to a different number. It’s all good. We’re all going to make plays and win games.”

The No. 18 is a special number for those who play for LSU. It is given to a player who shows particular character and football traits.

But now Ojulari will look cool with a single digit coming off the edge.

In terms of football aesthetics, No. 9 will look way better off the edge.

However, there is an untold story here.

Yes, Ojulari just gave up No. 18 to Harrison. But No. 9 was also taken. It belonged to quarterback Desmond Ridder, acquired via trade this offseason. He wore No. 9 with the Falcons for two seasons and also wore it in college at Cincinnati.

He now wears No. 19.

Ojulari didn’t ask for anything for No. 18. Did he have to give up something to get Ridder’s No. 9?

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

 

Marvin Harrison getting No. 18 causes trio of number changes for Cardinals

BJ Ojulari went from No. 18 to No. 9, Desmond Ridder went from No. 9 to No. 19 and Dan Chisena went from No. 19 to No. 17.

A week ago, the Arizona Cardinals’ first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., didn’t have a jersey yet. Second-year linebacker had No. 18, backup quarterback Desmond Ridder had No. 9 and receiver Dan Chisena had No. 19.

Harrison, who wore No. 18 at Ohio State, will wear No. 18 for the Cardinals. Ojulari apparently was willing to give it up to Harrison, but that led to a trio of changes.

Ojulari now has No. 9, the number Ridder had. Ridder took No. 19 and Chisena, went from 19 to No. 17.

Ojulari will now get the cool single-digit number as a pass rusher. The interesting move is Ridder, who wore No. 9 when he played for the Atlanta Falcons and also in college at Cincinnati.

For Chisena, No. 17 is his third number with the team. He wore No. 16 when he played for the Cardinals late last season. He got No. 19 after he re-signed in the offseason following a postseason stint with the Baltimore Ravens. Now he has No. 17.

And it all happened so that Harrison, expected to be a star for Arizona, could wear No. 18.

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

 

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.