The Raiders are parting ways with former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder. The move doesn't come as a surprise for a Raiders team that is expected to be active in the quarterback market. Ridder didn't show anything in his time with Las Vegas to give reason to believe he is a more viable backup option. It was the right decision for a player whose career continues to trend in the wrong direction.
It was only a two years ago that Terry Fontenot and the Atlanta front office decided Desmond Ridder was the team's future. Signing Taylor Heinicke as the backup quarterback and moving on from Marcus Mariota the team put the fate of the 2023 season in the hands of Desmond Ridder.
Atlanta's front office embracing Desmond Ridder remains an obvious concern
This same quarterback was quickly released by Las Vegas and was unable to win the backup job in Arizona. The Cardinals demoted Ridder to the practice squad in favor of a far less experienced option. All of this adds up to cause for concern for the Atlanta front office. A group that had Ridder in-house for a year and believed he was their best option moving forward.
It isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of your ability to evaluate the position. A player you believed was your starting quarterback of the future couldn't hold a roster spot at either of his next two stops. A concerning development for a team that continues to be their own worst enemy.
For Ridder, this isn't likely to be the end of his career with teams carrying three quarterbacks on game day. The quarterback shouldn't have an issue finding a role as the third emergency option. With his starting experience and the lack of quarterbacks on the market Ridder's career isn't over just yet.
