NFL suspended, Taylor Heinicke definitely his not playing for Atlanta Falcons see more…
The Atlanta Falcons are turning their offense back over to Desmond Ridder.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Ridder is set to start next week’s game against the New Orleans Saints after being benched the previous two games in favor of Taylor Heinicke. Atlanta reportedly hopes the two-game stint as the backup will serve as a “reboot” for Ridder as the team evaluates whether he can be its long-term option under center.
Ridder replaced an injured Heinicke in last week’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, completing four of his six passes for 39 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. He’s thrown for 1,740 yards and six touchdowns against six interceptions this season, with Falcons offense consistently struggling to finish scoring drives.
After looking averse to turnovers in a four-game stint last season, Ridder lost his job in part due to his inability to hold onto the football. He committed seven turnovers during his three most recent starts.
The Falcons have been one of the NFL’s most confounding teams all season.
Their middling 4-6 record has been highlighted by confusing decisions from coach Arthur Smith regarding the usage of his offensive skill players. Rookie running back Bijan Robinson has looked like a star any time he’s touched the ball but has the same amount of carries as Tyler Allgeier, who is averaging 3.2 yards per carry. Veteran tight end Jonnu Smith has gotten just as much work as Kyle Pitts, who looked like a superstar in the making in 2021, while Drake London has failed to build on a promising rookie season.
The move back to Ridder doesn’t seem much more than an evaluation tool, but it’s hard to see any aspect where he’s looked like a franchise guy. Atlanta should be among the teams this offseason aggressively pursuing veteran quarterback options while its young skill-position players are still under rookie contracts.
