Vikings Add Ex-Falcons, Raiders Quarterback Amid J.J. McCarthy Injury

Minnesota needs all the help it can get at the position.

Desmond Ridder appears primed to see time for a third team. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Vikings are already in trouble at the quarterback position—and on Tuesday, they reportedly took a step to address that issue.

Minnesota is signing quarterback Desmond Ridder to its 53-man roster, according to a report from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Ridder, 26, most recently occupied a spot on the Bengals' roster. Cincinnati waived him on Aug. 26, making him a free agent.

In three NFL seasons, Ridder has seen action with the Falcons and Raiders. He started four games with Atlanta in 2022 and 13 in ’23—the latter of which ended with Ridder having thrown both 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He wound up with Las Vegas in ’24, starting a game and playing in six.

Ridder, an eighth-place finisher in the 2021 Heisman voting, joins a Vikings team dealing with an ankle injury to quarterback J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy started and won Minnesota's opener before struggling mightily on national television against the Falcons on Sunday, during which the injury occurred.

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

feed