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The Atlanta Falcons will head into the 2023 NFL season with Desmond Ridder as the starting quarterback after Marcus Mariota's departure after one season. But Atlanta reportedly tried to upgrade at the position this offseason.
The Falcons explored deals with the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans during draft time. Atlanta reportedly looked to acquire a veteran quarterback from either team.
According to Simon Hunter, the Falcons had deals in place for Kyler Murray before the draft but the two sides couldn't work out the contract terms for the players.
There was a deal in place to send Murray to Atlanta for draft picks with Atlanta taking on some of Murray's hefty contract.
No trade ever transpired, but it shows that Atlanta looked to upgrade from a second-year QB despite what they said earlier this offseason.
The Atlanta Falcons seem to have confidence in second-year NFL quarterback Desmond Ridder
On February 8, 2023, the Atlanta Falcons released Marcus Mariota, leaving Desmond Ridder as their starter heading into next season.
At the NFL owners' meetings, owner Arthur Blank and general manager Terry Fontenot shared why they're confident with Ridder as their starter heading into the 2023-2024 season.
Blank said:
"It's not just the last four games he played. That's a piece of the pie. It's really about what he has shown since the day he showed up on campus as a leader, a player. He has matured a lot from a physical standpoint and in understanding the game. When Marcus [Mariota] was here, he was great working with him and was very supportive."
Desmond Ridder was drafted in the third round of last year's draft. He didn't see action on the field until December 8, 2022, when the Falcons benched Mariota.
He finished his NFL rookie season throwing for 708 passing yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and an 86.4 passer rating. He was 2-0 in the two games he started in towards the end of last season.
Whether or not the Atlanta Falcons are fully confident in Desmond Ridder or not, he seems to be their QB1 heading into next season.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Arthur Blank, The Atlanta Falcons, and H/T Sportskeeda
