Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Enters 'Make-or-Break' Season

Desmond Ridder has been given the keys to the Atlanta Falcons offense, but poor performances could force him to be yanked as the starter.

Jeremy Brener | May 6, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The 2023 NFL season will mark the biggest and most important for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Not only is this season the biggest for Ridder considering the fact that he will likely start the season as the first quarterback on an NFL depth chart, but it could be his last if he doesn't live up to standards.

Bleacher Report identifies the Falcons among the teams that could be in the quarterback market in the 2024 NFL Draft.

"Third-round picks with questionable accuracy don't get much room for error, so it's a make-or-break year for Desmond Ridder, as Caleb Williams and Drake Maye will be in the mix for 2024 if he fails," Bleacher Report writes.

The Falcons have shown their faith in Ridder by not pursuing other long-term quarterback options this offseason, like Derek Carr or Lamar Jackson.

Ridder, who took over for the final four games this past season, hit 63.5 percent of his attempts, averaging 177 yards a game and throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions. He did, however, average only 16 rushing yards. That being said, he shouldn't be tasked with testing his legs too often in an offense with Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and rookie running back Bijan Robinson in one of the league's most athletic backfields.

Ridder will need to rely on the run game to build his own offense, and if he can, he may make his mark in the 2023 season. If not, his status as a starting quarterback in the NFL will likely be broken.

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Published May 6, 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.