Raiders Expected To Make The Change To Desmond Ridder At QB
The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the change to quarterback Desmond Ridder after Gardner Minshew II was benched for a third time this year in the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing is official yet, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Raiders go with Ridder under center coming off their bye to face the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. Aidan O'Connell (finger) is on Injured Reserve. Head coach Antonio Pierce is feeling the pressure after losing five straight games to fall to 2-7 before the Week 10 bye. After Ridder took over for Minshew in the loss to the Bengals, he went 11-for-16 for 74 yards and a touchdown while also losing a fumble. The former Falcons QB won't be anything more than a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues if he gets the start against a Dolphins D that just kept the Rams out of the end zone all game on Monday.
The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Desmond Ridder off of the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad on Monday, according to sources. Ridder will give the Raiders extra QB depth after the team placed Aidan O'Connell (thumb) on Injured Reserve after he fractured his right thumb in the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. O'Connell is expected to miss four to six weeks with his injury. Ridder, the former third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, did not see the field at all in Arizona and is coming off a 2023 campaign in Atlanta that saw him throw for 2,836 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 64.2% of his pass attempts. For now, he'll serve as Gardner Minshew II's backup with the Raiders. If he's forced into action, Ridder will be a desperation QB2, at best, in superflex formats.
Desmond Ridder Returns To Cardinals Practice Squad
The Arizona Cardinals are re-signing quarterback Desmond Ridder (concussion) to their practice squad on Wednesday, according to sources. Ridder returns to the desert just a day after he was waived as the Cardinals cut their roster down to 53 players. The 24-year-old signal-caller failed to prove to the Atlanta Falcons that he was their franchise QB in his two seasons, and now he'll enter the 2024 regular season as the QB3 in Arizona behind Kyler Murray and Clayton Tune. The former second-rounder out of Cincinnati is no longer on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues after completing only 64% of his 503 pass attempts in his two years in Atlanta while throwing for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. In addition to his 12 picks, Ridder was turnover-prone with 15 total fumbles, including 12 in 2023.
The Arizona Cardinals released quarterback Desmond Ridder (concussion) on Tuesday, according to a source. Ridder, who was put in the league's concussion protocol after the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, had been in a competition with Clayton Tune for the backup job behind Kyler Murray this summer. That job will obviously fall to Tune now to begin the 2024 regular season. The Cardinals acquired Ridder in an offseason trade in March with the Atlanta Falcons after the 24-year-old failed to deliver in two seasons in Atlanta. The former second-rounder in 2022 out of Cincinnati struggled with turnovers in his 19 games (17 starts) while also completing 64% of his 503 pass attempts for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. If Ridder doesn't join Arizona's practice squad, he'll look for backup work elsewhere.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that backup quarterback Desmond Ridder (head) is in the league's concussion protocol after he was forced from the preseason finale on Sunday against the Denver Broncos early due to a head injury. Before Ridder left the contest at Empower Field, he went 10-for-16 passing for 111 yards and carried the ball twice for 25 yards. In his first year in Arizona, the 24-year-old is expected to open the year as the primary backup to starter Kyler Murray. However, if he cannot clear the concussion protocol in time for the Week 1 regular-season opener versus the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 8, it will be Clayton Tune backing up Murray. The former third-rounder quickly fell out of favor with the Atlanta Falcons in 19 games over two seasons, mainly due to turnover issues and overall mediocre performances.
Desmond Ridder Listed As QB2 On Second Depth Chart
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder is currently listed as the No. 2 QB on the second depth chart of the 2024 season that the team released before their second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. It doesn't mean that the QB battle for the No. 2 job between Ridder and Clayton Tune is over this summer, though. Ridder is trying to secure the backup job behind Kyler Murray in the desert this year after quickly flaming out in Atlanta after the Falcons took him in the third round in 2022. Both Ridder and Tune will get plenty of action in the final two preseason games with Murray not playing at all until Week 1. Ridder struggled with turnovers for the Falcons and quickly proved that he wasn't their franchise signal-caller in 19 games in two seasons. He's off the fantasy radar for now.
The Arizona Cardinals are acquiring former starting quarterback Desmond Ridder from the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, according to a source. Ridder squandered his chance as the full-time starter for the Falcons in 2023 by throwing for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games (13 starts), eventually being benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke. The former third-round pick out of Cincinnati has also lost nine fumbles in 19 games (17 starts) in his two NFL seasons. Atlanta's signing of Kirk Cousins made Ridder expendable, and he'll now make for a solid backup option in Arizona for starter Kyler Murray. The 24-year-old obviously won't be on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues in 2024 now that he's firmly entrenched in a backup role.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is expected to be traded now that the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins, according to sources. The Falcons have been discussing a deal with other teams, but nothing is in place yet. The 24-year-old third-round pick in 2022 out of Cincinnati lost the starting gig to Taylor Heinicke last year and finished with a 64.2 completion percentage, 2,836 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games (13 starts). In his 17 NFL starts over two seasons, Ridder hasn't looked like a starter, throwing 14 TDs and 12 interceptions with 7.0 yards per attempt. He's also lost nine fumbles. At best, Ridder could land with a team like the Denver Broncos that would give him a chance to compete for a starting role in 2024. Clearly, Ridder's fantasy stock in dynasty/keeper leagues has taken a big hit after his disappointing 2023 campaign.
Falcons Seeking Upgrade Over Taylor Heinicke, Desmond Ridder
The Atlanta Falcons finished 21st in the NFL in 2023 in EPA per dropback with quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder, according to TruMedia. Only six teams threw more than Atlanta's 17 interceptions, and Ridder added 12 lost fumbles. The Falcons appear to be just a quarterback away from being true contenders, and the team is primed to search for an upgrade over Heinicke and Ridder in 2024, either through the draft, free agency or the trade market under new head coach Raheem Morris. Depending on the signal-caller that the Falcons add this offseason, their offense should be expected to be much more aggressive under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, which should benefit key offensive pieces such as running back Bijan Robinson, tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Drake London.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder has struggled throughout most of the season, but ended his 2023 campaign with a bang. The young signal-caller completed 22-of-30 passing attempts for 291 yards with two touchdowns and one interception during the Week 18 loss to the New Orleans Saints. It was a nice finish to the season for Ridder, but it probably wasn't enough to save his job in Atlanta. This season, Ridder threw for 2,836 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He was benched on two separate occasions for backup Taylor Heinicke. The expectation is that the Falcons add to their quarterback room this offseason and move on from Ridder. Regardless, he won't be much of a fantasy option on any team heading into 2024.
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