Desmond Ridder is entering his second season with the Atlanta Falcons and his first as the full-time starting quarterback, but he knows that he still has a lot to learn.
Ridder admitted his first year with the Falcons was one with a lot of twists and turns.
“This time last year, my head was spinning,” Ridder said Wednesday, via Scott Bair of the Falcons' team website. “Obviously having a year under my belt and a whole offseason, things have become a lot more comfortable. Now we’re trying to work the intricate details of it, the ins and outs, and knowing the exact reasons why everything is going on.”
Ridder had to realize that the biggest challenge was for him to adjust to the speed of the NFL and that he had to make decisions quickly and accurately, while also learning to play with the Falcons.
Desmond Ridder is expected to be a key part of the Falcons' rebuilding effort in 2023. If he can continue to develop, he could be a franchise quarterback for years to come. Ridder is hoping to build on his success in his second season. He has been working hard during the offseason and is confident he can take his game to the next level.
Now taking the role of the team leader, he roomed with Tyler Allgeier and Drake London during rookie minicamp, studying plays and how to execute them.
“He already had the confidence last year,” Allgeier said after Ridder's first year with the Falcons. “Now he has a year under him after learning from Marcus [Mariota]. He’s just a natural-born leader. Him coming in last year, being with him the apartments last year [during rookie minicamp] and then seeing him now, that’s a big step. He always had the confidence. We’re all confident playing behind him.”
The Atlanta Falcons are hoping that Ridder can be the quarterback of the future. If he can live up to his potential, he could help the team return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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