NFL QB Rankings: Falcons' Desmond Ridder Too Low?

Should Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder be ranked higher on this list?

Second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder will get a chance to cement himself as the long-term starter for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. Let's just say there appears to be quite a bit of skepticism as to whether he'll be able to do that. 

In a post-NFL Draft ranking of all 32 starting quarterbacks by CBS Sports, Ridder came in at No. 31.

"He may be set up to succeed if Arthur Smith is dead set on building an old-fashioned offense that runs through the ground game, but what if they have to play from behind? He was OK as a rookie, but only in contrast to the erratic Marcus Mariota," CBS Sports writes. 

As noted above, Ridder spent much of his first NFL season sitting behind Marcus Mariota after the Falcons selected him in the third round following a decorated collegiate career at Cincinnati. 

Ridder did get a chance to start for the final month of the season, but Arthur Smith continued to lean on the running game with him under center. In four starts, Ridder threw for two touchdowns and zero interceptions, while averaging just 177 passing yards per game. 

While the Falcons have used top-10 picks on tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London in recent years, Tyler Allgeier rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season and the Falcons drafted running back Bijan Robinson No. 8 overall in this year's NFL Draft. This feels like a team that hopes to win through the running game, and they may be good enough to do so in the lowly NFC South. 

What that means for Ridder is unclear. Perhaps if he's able to manage the game well enough, the rushing attack of Robinson and Allgeier will help Atlanta to return to the playoffs. Or at the very least, the Falcons could win enough games in 2023 that they aren't in position to select a better quarterback than Ridder in 2024. 

For the time being, Ridder being at No. 31 -- only ahead of Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders -- is probably appropriate. 

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