After Michael Penix Jr., what Atlanta's quarterback room will look like in the 2025 season remains a mystery. It appears we will soon find out how serious the team is about retaining Kirk Cousins in a backup role. Are the Falcons simply posturing, or will they force Cousins to hold a clipboard? If they don't want the distraction of Cousins around the team, they're going to have extremely limited options to sign behind Penix. The quarterback market is quickly drying up, leaving the Falcons looking to the draft or extremely underwhelming options.
One fit could be former Atlanta starter Desmond Ridder. The Raiders moved on from the former Falcon starter after a failed 2024 season. While the quarterback isn't an ideal backup, the team could find themselves without another choice if they move off Kirk Cousins. If Cousins is retained, there isn't a path for Ridder to be on the roster. The Falcons would be wiser to use their third quarterback role for a developing player or a short-yardage weapon.
A reunion with Desmond Ridder makes sense only if Atlanta has no other options
It is important to note that any consideration of Ridder isn't based on the fit or a hope of future development, but a complete lack of other options. While the team currently has better fits in free agency, it is doubtful they will remain on the market throughout the summer. It appears Atlanta is going to keep Kirk Cousins at least deep into the offseason.
Superior options to Ridder Atlanta should hope remain on the market include Teddy Bridgewater, Carson Wentz, and Tyler Huntley. After this trio we begin to look at Jeff Driskel, C.J. Beathard, and players who are in the same class as Ridder. Struggling quarterbacks you hope are never on the field for your team.
As frustrating as Ridder's tenure in Atlanta was, it is worth noting that the quarterback took his failures on the chin. Whether it was a mind-numbingly bad interception or a missed play, Ridder would stand at the podium and say all of the right things. While this doesn't change the fact that Ridder's ceiling is as a third option, it does prove the quarterback could be brought back in an emergency role if Atlanta has no other choice.
