After missing out on acquiring Matthew Stafford, the Las Vegas Raiders are officially bidding farewell to another quarterback. The team told Desmond Ridder that it will not tender him as a restricted free agent, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, making him available to sign with any team on the open market.
The Raiders are searching for solid answers at QB, and they clearly do not consider the 2022 third-round draft pick to be one of them. Ridder, who spent the first two years of his professional career with the Atlanta Falcons, completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 458 yards while throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions in six games for Vegas last season.
The two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year helped lead the Cincinnati Bearcats to their most prosperous stretch in program history, culminating with an appearance in the 2021 College Football Playoff. That success has not translated to the NFL, however. Ridder has struggled with accuracy and in the red zone, throwing just 16 TDs to 14 picks in 25 NFL games. But he still might have some value to offer.
The 25-year-old can catch on with another team as a backup or third-string quarterback. He has plenty of experience playing the position and can potentially serve as a useful presence in a QB room. Ridder should find another place of employment in the near future. What will the Raiders do, though?
Raiders have much to figure out this offseason
Related Las Vegas Raiders NewsArticle continues below
With NFL icon Tom Brady in the owner's box and Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll manning the sidelines, fans expect the team to at least carry an air of competence. That is definitely a reasonable bar to set, but without a viable signal-caller, dysfunction can creep up really quick. While Aidan O'Connell has flashed glimpses of being a capable transition QB, he probably does not fit the franchise's long-term vision.
Matthew Stafford was potentially a temporary bandage the Raiders could have slapped on the depth chart, but he agreed to a restructured contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Friday. Russell Wilson is a possible contingency plan. At the very least, the front office will pursue someone who can compete for the starting job in training camp.
The No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which could be used to acquire Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, looks more intriguing to fans by the day. There are variables that are beyond the team's control, however.
The quarterback situation might be in a fragile state going into the 2025-26 campaign. All Las Vegas can do right now is make decisions based on its current roster. Allowing Desmond Ridder to test free agency fits that criteria.
