Desmond Ridder has been named the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback, which will begin in Week 15 after the team’s bye.
Although Ridder has yet to take an NFL snap, there have been growing reports that the Falcons have been positively priming him for when his opportunity did arise.
As a huge Desmond Ridder fan, I sorta like how they've done this.
He got 3 months of regular season work to ingrain himself with an NFL team, learn system, help gameplan, practice etc. instead of being thrown to the wolves.
And now he has extra time to prep for his debut. https://t.co/uHfXNl4gSH
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger) December 8, 2022
Although Marcus Mariota has only started in 74 career games spanning eight NFL seasons, he still has NFL experience, something that Ridder didn’t have coming into the season.
By sitting behind Mariota over the past several months, Ridder has been granted the opportunity to see how NFL systems work, and ultimately, how to succeed at quarterback in the NFL.
We will have to wait until Week 15 to see Ridder take the field, in a matchup where the Falcons will be facing off against the struggling New Orleans Saints.
Watching From The Sidelines Isn’t Such A Bad Thing After All
Many rookie quarterbacks could be discouraged if they are drafted, and not granted the opportunity to start for their team right away.
However, the recent precedent has shown the NFL that letting a rookie quarterback understand a team’s system, and learn what it’s like to be a pro, has translated positively.
Take All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
After he was drafted in 2017, Mahomes had the opportunity to sit for a year under the tutelage of seasoned NFL veteran Alex Smith.
Smith was traded in the 2018 offseason, giving Mahomes the chance to be the full-time starter.
Let’s see if Ridder can have similar success next week when he finally can prove himself to the Falcons’ front office.
NEXT: The Falcons Are Reportedly Making A Major Change On Offense