Falcons DE Calais Campbell 'Banking' on Desmond Ridder Development
New Atlanta Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell wants to win a Super Bowl.
Despite receiving interest from teams closer to that goal, Campbell opted to sign with the Falcons, but he believes Atlanta can compete. However, a big part of that has to do with the improvement from second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder.
"I'm banking a little on the young quarterback developing," Campbell said on CBS Sports' "The Crew" Podcast. "We played them last year, I missed the game, and he played a great game, a heck of a game, gave us a run for our money. I think our defense was pretty good late in the season - they put nine points up, but they were in the red zone a lot; he made a lot of really good throws, and that played a big role."
During Campbell's free agent visit with the Falcons, Ridder came up in conversation and eventually he was sold on the 2022 third-round pick.
"I watched tape with Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot and the offensive coordinator came in, and we just watched tape on the quarterback and they made me a believer that he has the tools to develop and be a really good player," Campbell said.
It takes more than one player to win a Super Bowl. In fact, it takes at least 53, and often times more. But Ridder and Campbell are expected to be leaders on each side of the ball in 2023, and their leadership skills will have a large impact on the Falcons' overall success.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.
Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.
Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the SI.com team page here
