Falcons encouraged by Desmond Ridder, won’t name long-term starter
The Atlanta Falcons were the second team in the 2022 NFL draft to select a quarterback, but that pick didn’t happen until the third round. Desmond Ridder, the former Cincinnati star, had to wait until the final four games of the season to make his Falcons debut.
After going 2-2 as a starter, fans are wondering whether or not Ridder will be the long-term answer at quarterback. The rookie completed 63.5 percent of his passes this season with 702 passing yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 84.4.
During Atlanta’s end-of-the-season press conference, head coach Arthur Smith said he was encouraged by Ridder’s progress, but also said the team has a lot of work to do before making that decision.
Arthur Smith on whether Desmond Ridder as starter in future:
"Certainly encouraged by the progress that he made," but too early to make that determination right now.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) January 11, 2023
It’s not surprising to see Smith avoid making any concrete statements, especially after last season. Prior to the team trading away Matt Ryan last year, it was reported that the Falcons would keep the former MVP.
Once Deshaun Watson became available, though, the team aggressively went after him and had to settle on Marcus Mariota as a consolation prize. With some big names available this offseason, expect the team to keep its options open.
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