Atlanta Falcons fans understand the true desperation and mismanagement it takes for Desmond Ridder to find a landing spot in this league. Ridder started his career with the Falcons, being solidified by Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith as the next answer after Matt Ryan. This couldn't be further from the truth, with the quarterback having all of the needed tools to be a high-level game manager except the most important one. Ridder reads the field and makes decisions seconds behind the rest of the field, resulting in an endless list of lowlights.
It caused the Falcons to turn to Taylor Heinicke, Kirk Cousins, and now Michael Penix Jr. after one miserable season with Ridder. However, this hasn't stopped the QB from finding new landing spots with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reporting the Minnesota Vikings had signed Ridder to the active roster. This was two days after J.J. McCarthy suffered a 22-6 defeat and ended the game with a clear ankle injury. Setting up backup Carson Wentz for what appears to be a Week 3 start against Jake Browning's Bengals.
Former Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Finds Surprise Landing Spot in Week 3
Ridder being added doesn't indicate that the former Falcon is going to get a chance to start, but rather serve as the backup option to Wentz on Sunday. It's simply the cherry on top of a great week for Atlanta that the Falcons beat the Vikings so soundly that they had to turn to the failing quarterback. As nice as Ridder is off the field and as easy as he is to root for, there is no way around the fact that he simply isn't a good player.
Even Minnesota's magical offensive system isn't fixing this fact. The Cardinals, Raiders, and Bengals have all given up on Ridder in the two years since he left Atlanta. The consistent issue is the decision-making that is far behind the rest of the field. Ridder's turnover issues with the Falcons can be directly tied to the fact that the defense read the play and reacted faster than Ridder.
You could see Ridder's eyes lock onto an open target and wait a beat before letting the ball go. Reading the quarterback's eyes and being able to have the needed time to react it made it a rarity for the Falcons' offensive possessions to end in anything but frustration.
Even in a superior offensive system, the same struggles await the quarterback if he is forced into action. Vikings fans simply have to hope Wentz is able to stay healthy long enough to allow McCarthy to make a quick return. Ridder is taking the field of a season that looked promising before Atlanta's dominating victory.
For the Falcons, there is no ill will towards Ridder, who obviously couldn't help his incompetence. There is simply an understanding of what the Vikings have signed up for and how it will end if the former Falcon is ever pushed into the starting lineup. Something Minnesota fans should be very nervous about in Week 3.