HEADLINES

Desmond Ridder

Raiders To Sign QB Desmond Ridder

October 21st, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Ben Levine

With Aidan O’Connell heading to IR, the Raiders are adding some quarterback depth. The team is signing Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

[RELATED: Raiders To Place QB Aidan O’Connell On IR]

Ridder was a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2022. The former Cincinnati star went 2-2 as a rookie after replacing Marcus Mariota as Atlanta’s QB1, and he spent the majority of last season as the team’s top quarterback. He ultimately started 17 games during his two-season stint in Atlanta, going 8-9 while completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also added another five touchdowns on the ground.

The QB was briefly replaced by Taylor Heinicke during the 2023 season. While Ridder eventually returned to the starting lineup, it was clear he didn’t have a future in Atlanta. After the organization added Kirk Cousins via free agency this offseason, Ridder was dealt to the Cardinals for wideout Rondale Moore.

Ridder was competing to be Kyler Murray‘s backup in Arizona but ended up losing the competition to Clayton Tune. The third-year pro later landed on the Cardinals practice squad, where he’s spent the first two months of the season.

Now, he could have an opportunity to play in Las Vegas. O’Connell fractured his thumb during yesterday’s loss, leaving the Raiders with Gardner Minshew and undrafted rookie Carter Bradley as their only two QBs. Minshew, who leads the NFL with 10 turnovers, was replaced as the starter two weeks ago. While the former Jaguars standout will likely slide back to the top of the depth chart, there’s a good chance he’s on a short leash, perhaps opening the door for a Ridder cameo.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 28th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Cardinals Waive QB Desmond Ridder

August 27th, 2024 at 11:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals gave up Rondale Moore for Desmond Ridder in March, marking one of a few trades this year involving a 2022 QB draftee. Arizona is moving on quickly.

While Ridder could conceivably still be in the Cardinals’ plans (via the practice squad), he will need to clear waivers first. After battling for the team’s backup job with 2023 draftee Clayton Tune, Ridder received word he will be cut, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Between their Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. additions, the Falcons quickly moved to deal Ridder. The team had benched the 2022 third-rounder twice last season, a year that led to Arthur Smith‘s ouster. It had been assumed going into the Cards’ offseason program Ridder would likely be Kyler Murray‘s new backup, but Tune has changed the equation. The 2023 fifth-rounder will remain in that role, with Ridder now available to be claimed before Wednesday’s 11am CT deadline.

This move might come with an injury designation. Ridder sustained a concussion in the Cardinals’ preseason finale against the Broncos. Tune, however, completed 67% of his preseason passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. Ridder closed at 57% and 6.4 yards per pass. Tune also spent the second half of last season as Murray’s backup. Although Tune submitted an ugly showing in Cleveland following the Josh Dobbs trade, he held his own this summer.

Arizona has moved on from its presumed backup for a second straight summer. The team cut Colt McCoy last year, acquiring Dobbs via trade and turning to him as a Week 1 starter despite a late-August arrival. The Cardinals traded Dobbs to the suddenly QB-needy Vikings at the deadline, moving Tune up the depth chart. Tune did throw an interception against the Broncos on Sunday, but the Cards’ staff looks to feel comfortable enough to move on from a notable trade addition.

Two years remain on Ridder’s rookie contract, but the Cards will incur no dead money from the cut due to the Falcons having taken on the prorated signing bonus money in the trade. Three seasons remain on Tune’s deal, and it is certainly worth noting this Cardinals regime drafted the Houston product. Ridder has conversely seen his stock tumble since being drafted by the Falcons.

The Falcons showed surprising confidence in Ridder last year, proclaiming the Cincinnati alum their starter months before training camp. Ridder had replaced Marcus Mariota late last year, and Arthur Blank expressed interest in building around his rookie contract. After Ridder finished with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and ranked 26th in QBR, the Falcons returned to the high-priced QB business by paying Cousins hours into the legal tampering period. They traded Ridder later that week.

A team claiming Ridder would have him on a $985K base salary. If unclaimed by Wednesday’s deadline, the 2022 No. 74 overall pick will make a surprising voyage into free agency.

Cardinals Get Down To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals finalized their initial 53-man roster with the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

We’ve already reported on the most notable name, Ridder. The Cardinals instead opted to rely on second-year passer Clayton Tune to back up Kyler Murray behind center. There’s still a chance Ridder could remain on the practice squad as QB3.

Robinson and Jones will miss the first four games of the season, but both have been designated to return from IR eventually. Jones Jr. will miss the 2024 season, though.

Two rookie draft picks failed to make the 53-man. Alabama Birmingham receiver Palmer (sixth-round) and Miami (FL) cornerback Davis (seventh-round) both hit the waiver wire following the preseason. Undrafted receiver Xavier Weaver out of Colorado, does make the roster, though.

Other surprises were the cutting of Carter and Barnes. Carter struggled last year before parting ways with the Jets, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. Six games in Arizona last year were not enough to warrant a return in 2024 on the active roster. Carter had been shopped around a bit as of late, but with no buyers, he hits the waiver wire. Barnes started six games for the team last year after three years in Green Bay, where he started 24 games.

Falcons To Make Depth QB Addition; Desmond Ridder Did Not Request Trade

March 30th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top of Atlanta’s quarterback depth chart is set with Kirk Cousins in the fold. His addition has relegated Taylor Heinicke to backup duties as things stand, but the latter may not have the QB2 role by the time the 2024 campaign begins.

Heinicke will see competition for the backup gig brought in, head coach Raheem Morris said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall). The Atlanta native joined the team last offseason as a veteran insurance policy for Desmond Ridder. Neither passer performed well enough when on the field to justify being named the 2024 starter, however, fueling the aggressive pursuit of Cousins.

Atlanta currently has just $6.3MM in cap space, most of which will be needed to sign the team’s incoming rookie class. As a result, even a one-year deal with a veteran backup option (such as Ryan Tannehill or Carson Wentz) could prove to be too expensive. Next month’s draft will offer the opportunity to add a developmental passer at a lower cost.

To that end, the Falcons are amongst the teams which have a visit lined up with Michael Penix Jr. The 2023 Heisman runner up may not be in Atlanta’s range, though, provided the team uses the No. 8 pick on a position other than quarterback. Still, it comes as little surprise Heinicke will need to beat out a new arrival for the backup job in training camp. The 31-year-old has one year left on his re-worked contract, and a release would create $1.21MM in cap savings along with a $3.32MM dead cap charge.

Not long after the Cousins deal was in place, Ridder was dealt to the Cardinals. That swap – which yielded receiver Rondale Moore in return – allowed the 2022 third-rounder to receive a fresh start after an underwhelming time as a starter with Atlanta. The trade did not come about based on Ridder’s desire to leave, though.

“Desmond is a great kid,” Morris said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He did not come to us and demand a trade. He did not come to us and do anything like that… The opportunity presented itself for us to add speed to our [receivers group]. Desmond went out with class.”

Ridder will now turn his attention to backing up Kyler Murray in Arizona. While the Cardinals’ QB depth chart (which also includes Clayton Tune) is now set, that of the Falcons is set to see an addition relatively soon.

Cardinals, Falcons Finalizing Desmond Ridder Trade

March 14th, 2024 at 10:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

That was fast. Falcons talks with teams about a Desmond Ridder trade will produce a deal; the Cardinals are finalizing an agreement to acquire the third-year quarterback, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.

Wide receiver Rondale Moore is coming back to Atlanta in the deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. One season remains on Moore’s rookie deal; two years are left on Ridder’s contract. No picks will be moved in this deal.

The Falcons made their Kirk Cousins signing official Wednesday, as the new league year began, and they still have backup Taylor Heinicke under contract on his two-year, $14MM accord. He is due a $5MM nonguaranteed salary. Heinicke would stand to represent some insurance and, if nothing else, an arm capable of leading the team through offseason workouts as Cousins finishes up his Achilles rehab. The Falcons have determined Ridder is no longer a fit.

Moore will join Darnell Mooney as new Falcons complementary wideouts; the ex-Bears 1,000-yard weapon signed a three-year, $39MM deal. A 5-foot-7 target used mostly near the line of scrimmage in Arizona, Moore is a former second-round pick. The slot player may be set to be a regular alongside Mooney and Drake London in Atlanta. Though, the Purdue alum had not maintained a grip on the Cardinals’ slot job. Greg Dortch usurped Moore during the 2023 season, as a new coaching staff changed the Kliff Kingsbury offense in which Moore was drafted to play.

Chosen 49th overall, Moore has shown some intriguing form as a tertiary target in a Cousins-guided offense. Although Moore has only cleared 10 yards per catch in one of his three seasons (2022), he has totaled 1,201 yards in that span. Moore posted back-to-back 400-yard seasons as part of DeAndre Hopkins-fronted receiving crews. New Cardinals OC Drew Petzing gave Moore 26 carries last season as well; he turned them into 178 yards and a touchdown. In coming from the NFC West, Raheem Morris and Falcons OC Zac Robinson have seen plenty of Moore.

Moore’s worst yardage total as a Cardinal (352, in 2023) would have been second among Falcon wideouts last year. Mack Hollins‘ 251 yards led the London wingmen; Hollins has since signed with the Bills. Ridder’s form contributed to that low number, and the Falcons also funneled targets to Kyle Pitts and the since-cut Jonnu Smith. They appear to be shifting to an offense that features more reliable wideouts and one primary receiving tight end. Minnesota and Washington largely operated this way with Cousins, who fed slot receivers K.J. Osborn and Jamison Crowder steady targets. This trade could benefit Moore as a 2025 free agent.

Ridder, 24, ranked 26th in QBR last season, finishing with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and a 7.3 yards-per-attempt number. After the Cincinnati alum sat behind Marcus Mariota for much of the 2022 season, the Falcons gave him 17 total starts. Passing on a veteran arm last year, the Falcons put considerable faith in Ridder. But Arthur Smith, who ended up on the chopping block, benched him twice. Coming out of last season, word immediately surfaced Atlanta was aiming to upgrade at QB. Enter Cousins and another big contract.

Ridder’s rookie deal calls for $985K and $1.1MM base salaries over the next two seasons. That will pair well with Murray’s $46.1MM-per-year extension. The Cardinals traded Josh Dobbs to the Vikings at last year’s deadline; Dobbs is now a free agent. Arizona has 2023 fifth-rounder Clayton Tune signed for three more seasons.

It will be interesting to see if Ridder will be given the QB2 job or if Tune will be placed on even footing. Given Murray’s 2022 ACL tear and his history of short-term absences, the Arizona backup role may well lead to opportunities next season.

Falcons Expected To Trade Desmond Ridder

March 14th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Sam Robinson

With Kirk Cousins coming in as the unquestioned Falcons starting quarterback, the team’s previous option is likely on his way out. After two seasons, the Falcons are preparing to trade Desmond Ridder, WSB’s Zach Klein reports.

No deal is imminent, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter adds the Falcons have been discussing Ridder with other teams and a trade is anticipated. Two seasons remain on the former third-round pick’s rookie contract.

Big-ticket QB additions often lead to the predecessor being shipped out. The Vikings let Case Keenum walk when they signed Cousins in 2018, while the Browns dealt Baker Mayfield months after acquiring Deshaun Watson — edging out the Falcons in those sweepstakes — two years ago. The Buccaneers did not install Jameis Winston as Tom Brady‘s backup. The Jets did not trade Zach Wilson last year, and they regretted it. Although Ridder would profile as a player who could slide into a backup role — his primary 2022 slot — the Falcons may have determined there is enough of a market to move him now.

The Raiders and Vikings acquired bridge starters, in Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold, while the Steelers picked up Russell Wilson on the cheap. This would leave the Broncos as a potentially interested party, with only Jarrett Stidham under contract for 2024. But Ridder also would profile as a backup elsewhere.

The Falcons’ Cousins pursuit brought an about-face from the team. In explaining why the team was not interested in Lamar Jackson last year, Arthur Blank said he wanted to build a roster around a rookie contract at quarterback. At that point, Ridder served as that passer. The team anointed the Cincinnati alum early during the 2023 offseason and used him as a starter for much of the season. But Arthur Smith benched Ridder on multiple occasions, moving Taylor Heinicke into action. Heinicke’s two-year, $14MM deal remains on Atlanta’s roster; it would seem the Falcons do not want both of them back.

Ridder ranked 26th in QBR last season, finishing with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and a 7.3 yards-per-attempt number. The Falcons gave Ridder 17 total starts. Coming out of this season, word immediately surfaced the Falcons were aiming to upgrade at QB. Enter Cousins and another big contract. His rookie deal calls for $985K and $1.1MM base salaries over the next two seasons.

Falcons Intend To Start Taylor Heinicke For Rest Of Season

December 20th, 2023 at 10:48am CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 20: If the Falcons are to make a late run to the playoffs, Heinicke will be leading the way. Smith said the team will go with the former Washington starter the rest of the way. When Smith benched Ridder the first time, he kept the door open for a return. While the Falcons reinstalled Ridder as their starter, it appears the second-year passer — anointed as the starter back in March — is not in the team’s plans to close out this season. With Smith uncertain to be retained for 2024, plenty rides on Heinicke.

DECEMBER 19: In the aftermath of the Falcons’ loss on Sunday, head coach Arthur Smith said a quarterback change was being contemplated. After going back to Desmond Ridder, Atlanta is now set to hand the reins to Taylor Heinicke once again.

The latter will get the start in Week 16, Josh Kendall and Jeff Schultz of The Athletic report (subscription required). That comes as no surprise after Smith’s remarks left the door open to Heinicke being reinstalled as the No. 1 for at least the time being. Ridder was given the starting role back after the Falcons’ bye week, and the team intended for that decision to apply through the remainder of the campaign.

However, the 2022 third-rounder has not improved as hoped during his second stint as a starter. Ridder has committed 16 turnovers this season, including six in the red zone. As a result, Atlanta sits at 6-8 on the year and is in danger of missing out on the postseason. A late switch back to Heinicke could provide more stability under center down the stretch.

After putting Ridder atop the depth chart for the final four games of his rookie season, the Falcons gave him a vote of confidence. The decision to sign Heinicke to a two-year, $14MM deal in the offseason was aimed at providing experienced depth, although the starter’s job was certainly not set in stone entering the season. With Ridder struggling to make the Year 2 jump, Heinicke earned a pair of starts midway through the season after replacing Ridder at halftime the game before.

In his time at the helm (which was cut short by a hamstring injury), Heinicke posted a passer rating of 84.2, the second-lowest of his career. The former Commanders starter committed only one turnover in that span, however, so he could provide a higher floor than Ridder against the Colts this week. Fighting for both the top spot in the NFC South as well as a wild-card spot, the Falcons will need a rebound from last week’s poor offensive showing to keep their postseason chances alive.

The team faces the possibility of missing the playoffs for a third straight season under head coach Arthur Smith. In spite of that, the latest reporting on the matter points to Atlanta retaining him for next season. As The Athletic report notes, however, Smith’s job security may become dependent on a plan to acquire a new starter under center despite both Ridder and Heinicke being on the books beyond 2023. Neither passer has done enough to lay claim to a permanent No. 1 role to date, but Heinicke will get another opportunity to do so this Sunday.

Falcons Undecided On Week 16 Starting QB

December 18th, 2023 at 3:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons’ decision to give the starting role back to Desmond Ridder after their bye week was intended to put the team’s quarterback questions to rest for the rest of the season. In the wake of yesterday’s loss, however, that may not be the case.

Ridder was benched in place of Taylor Heinicke after struggling to make the Year 2 jump many young passers experience. The former has received the confidence of Atlanta’s staff, however, and he was reinstalled as the No. 1 for Week 12 and beyond. Ridder underwhelmed in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, and a late red zone interception set up Carolina’s game-winning field goal.

That continued a concerning trend in the turnover department for Ridder, who has thrown at least one interception in nine games this season and each of his last four. The 2022 third-rounder has also fumbled 11 times, adding to the argument Atlanta should seek out a replacement this offseason. For the time being, another evaluation will take place at the position, head coach Arthur Smith said on Monday.

Smith answered no when asked if third-stringer Logan Woodside was under consideration to get the start in Week 16, and he confirmed the same is true of an outside addition. Just like earlier in the year, therefore, the current decision will come down to Ridder or Heinicke as Atlanta looks to remain in contention for an NFC playoff berth. The latter has put up underwhelming numbers when on the field in his debut Falcons season (55.4% completion percentage, 498 passing yards, three touchdowns, one interception).

A hamstring injury ended Heinicke’s run as starter, but he is healthy now. The former Commanders starter has more experience than Ridder, and the team could opt to give him the starter’s role down the stretch in a bid to reduce turnovers while competing for the NFC South title. The Falcons sit at 6-8, one game behind both the Buccaneers and Saints. They are also in the mix for a wild-card spot, but improvement on offense will likely be needed to reach the postseason.

Heinicke is on the books through 2024 after he signed an incentive-laden deal this past offseason. Ridder’s rookie contract, meanwhile, runs one year longer. With commitments to both passers beyond this season, Atlanta’s plans for the immediate future will be worth watching closely.

Falcons QB Desmond Ridder To Start In Week 12

November 19th, 2023 at 8:23am CST by Rory Parks

When the Falcons return from their Week 11 bye to take on the Saints next Sunday, Desmond Ridder will be under center. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this morning that Atlanta is turning back to Ridder with the expectation that he will remain the starter for the rest of the season.

Ridder, who started the Falcons’ first eight games of the year, exited the team’s Week 8 loss to the Titans to be evaluated for a concussion. While he quickly cleared the concussion protocol, head coach Arthur Smith said afterwards that he “didn’t think Des was right” and therefore allowed QB2 Taylor Heinicke to finish the game. Smith hoped to convey that Ridder was not kept on the sidelines for performance reasons, though Heinicke was named the Week 9 starter shortly thereafter.

At the time, we heard that the Falcons had not lost faith in Ridder, whom they selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, and were merely looking for a spark. It seems that the plan was always to reassess the situation during the bye week, and that reassessment has led Atlanta back to its second-year passer.

Heinicke suffered a hamstring injury during the club’s loss to the Cardinals last week, which forced Ridder back into the lineup. Rapoport makes it clear, however, that Heinicke’s injury was a low-grade one, so the decision to tap Ridder as the starter moving forward was not made for health reasons.

Although the Falcons are 4-6, they are just one game out of first place in the weak NFC South. And since Smith is in his third year at the helm and has missed the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, his job could be in jeopardy if his club fails to qualify for the postseason in 2023. Even if his seat is not as hot as some recent reports have indicated, he obviously will need to start winning soon to remain in Atlanta for the long haul. The fact that he is handing the keys to Ridder for a Week 12 battle with the division-leading Saints and for the home stretch of the season is something of a testament to his belief in the Cincinnati product.

“Sometimes you need a fresh perspective,” Smith said of Ridder this past week. “That’s what I think helped him. The reset, the refocus and working on things that I thought could help him, he’s done that.”

Ridder has flashed at times in 2023, but he followed up one of his strongest perfomances of the season in a Week 5 win over the Texans with a three-interception showing against the Commanders in Week 6, and he lost three redzone fumbles in the Falcons’ Week 7 win over the Buccaneers. He did play well when pressed into relief duty last week, completing four of six passes for 39 yards and piloting the offense to a touchdown that gave the Falcons a late lead.

For the season, Ridder has completed 65.4% of his passes for six touchdowns against six interceptions (which amounts to a subpar 84.1 quarterback rating, slightly below the mark he posted as a rookie). He has added 32 carries for 150 yards and four rushing scores.

Load More Posts