The Atlanta Falcons are the only team in the NFC South that will begin the 2023 season with the same quarterback they ended the 2022 campaign with.
Desmond Ridder, the former third-round pick out of Cincinnati, showed enough during his rookie season to convince Falcons head coach Arthur Smith to buy in. Atlanta did sign veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke over the offseason, but the team has made it clear that Ridder is the guy going into 2023.
The second-year QB joined NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” to discuss the Falcons’ Week 1 matchup against the rival Carolina Panthers. Ridder talked about getting a rematch against No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and was asked about facing former Cincinnati teammate Sauce Gardner in Week 13.
"We just want to be explosive"@nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/hDg4bPcGXt
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) May 22, 2023
Ridder was recently ranked as the 40th-best QB in the league by NFL analyst Chris Simms. Clearly, the young signal-caller has a lot to prove this season to those outside of Atlanta.
In four starts last season, Ridder threw for 708 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, while going 2-2 overall.
