Ex-Falcons QB Desmond Ridder Receives Next NFL Opportunity: Report

Quarterback Desmond Ridder is still chasing the NFL dream. The 25-year-old will try to make the Denver Broncos this spring.

9News' Mike Klis reported Tuesday that the Broncos invited Ridder to tryout at the team's rookie minicamp this weekend.

The Atlanta Falcons drafted Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was the second quarterback off the board behind only Kenny Pickett.

Ridder started the final two games of his rookie campaign, going 2-2. He then led the Falcons to a 6-7 record as a starter in 13 games during 2023.

Although Ridder essentially went .500, his 2023 season with the Falcons was a roller coaster ride. He particularly struggled with turnovers. Ridder posted 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles in 15 games in 2023.

During the second half of 2023, the Falcons went back and forth between Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Atlanta ultimately finished the campaign 7-10 and then fired head coach Arthur Smith.

The following offseason, the Falcons traded Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals. He's been battling to stay in the league since then.

The Las Vegas Raiders claimed Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad on Oct. 21. Ridder made one start, ironically, against the Falcons and the quarterback who replaced him, Kirk Cousins.

If that wasn't ironically enough, that was Cousins' final start of 2024. The Falcons replaced Cousins with rookie Michael Penix Jr. after Cousins led Atlanta to an uninspiring 15-9 victory versus Ridder's Raiders.

In 19 games for the Falcons, Ridder posted an 8-9 record with a 64% completion percentage, 3,544 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He averaged seven yards per pass.

During the start versus Atlanta, Ridder completed 23 of 39 passes for 208 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

2024 first-round pick Bo Nix is firmly entrenched as Denver's starter behind center. But behind Nix, the Broncos have Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, who are a couple unproven NFL quarterbacks but highly successful college quarterbacks -- just as Ridder was.

Ridder led the Cincinnati Bearcats to a 22-2 record in his final two college seasons. One of the losses came against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoffs semifinals.