Can Falcons' Desmond Ridder Break 3rd-Round QB Curse?

Desmond Ridder was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 8, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

It's been just over a year since the Atlanta Falcons used a third-round pick to select Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Ridder was drafted to back up Marcus Mariota for his rookie season, but the No. 74 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft was handed the reins of the offense in late December.

Ridder has just four starts to his name, and recent history suggests that, as a third-round pick, he won't have too many more.

Since 2013, only Mike Glennon (2013) and Jacoby Brissett (2016) have more than 30 starts in their careers. Both of these players are journeymen, and neither can say they have been a franchise quarterback.

A lot can be said that the third-round quarterbacks of the past decade were never given a shot quite like Ridder has in Atlanta. In an offseason where the Falcons had several opportunities to upgrade at quarterback and acquire a surefire starter, Atlanta stuck to its guns and gave Ridder the inside track to start. Taylor Heinicke was signed away from the Washington Commanders, but it's expected that Ridder will start Week 1.

Should Ridder start every game this season, his game count will jump to 21, still not catching Glennon and Brissett, but it's safe to say that the Falcons are only committed for him to be the top guy just for this season.

Should Atlanta fail to make the playoffs in a very winnable NFC South, there's a very realistic chance that the Falcons will draft another quarterback in 2024, likely in the first round given this year's stacked quarterback class.

So if Ridder wants to break the "third-round curse," he'll have to do so this season.

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Published Jul 8, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.