Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Enters 'Make-or-Break' Season
The 2023 NFL season will mark the biggest and most important for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Not only is this season the biggest for Ridder considering the fact that he will likely start the season as the first quarterback on an NFL depth chart, but it could be his last if he doesn't live up to standards.
Bleacher Report identifies the Falcons among the teams that could be in the quarterback market in the 2024 NFL Draft.
"Third-round picks with questionable accuracy don't get much room for error, so it's a make-or-break year for Desmond Ridder, as Caleb Williams and Drake Maye will be in the mix for 2024 if he fails," Bleacher Report writes.
The Falcons have shown their faith in Ridder by not pursuing other long-term quarterback options this offseason, like Derek Carr or Lamar Jackson.
Ridder, who took over for the final four games this past season, hit 63.5 percent of his attempts, averaging 177 yards a game and throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions. He did, however, average only 16 rushing yards. That being said, he shouldn't be tasked with testing his legs too often in an offense with Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and rookie running back Bijan Robinson in one of the league's most athletic backfields.
Ridder will need to rely on the run game to build his own offense, and if he can, he may make his mark in the 2023 season. If not, his status as a starting quarterback in the NFL will likely be broken.
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