Falcons 2021 top-10 pick joins chorus praising QB Desmond Ridder

Desmond Ridder has everything a young quarterback needs.

Atlanta's offensive line is one of the best in football; he has three top-10 picks for his top three offensive weapons and a chorus praising his every move.

One of those top-10 picks, tight end Kyle Pitts, told NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" on Thursday that Ridder is coming into his own as QB1 for the Falcons.

"I mean, now as he's the starting quarterback, he's definitely stepping into that role," Pitts said. He added, "Just to see him step into this new role and grab his team by the reins, that's what we've all been waiting on."

Ridder was selected in the third round (74th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft and started four games at the end of last season. From all accounts, Ridder's made enormous strides during the offseason.

In those four games, Ridder barely moved the needle. He was 73-of-115 (63.5 percent) for 708 yards.  His two touchdowns came in Week 18 against the Bucs after they had already clinched the division.

During Weeks 1-14, Atlanta's pass offense ranked 15th in DVOA, 11.8 percent better than the league average. In Ridder's four starts, the pass offense ranked 20th, slightly worse than average (-0.1 percent DVOA).

Pitts's praise of Ridder echoes thoughts shared by other prominent voices in the Falcons organization. Prior to naming him the team's 2023 starter, head coach Arthur Smith spoke positively of him. "I do think Des' future is bright," he told Falcons.com reporter Tori McElhaney.

Wide receiver Drake London, another top-10 pick, hailed Ridder as "a complete quarterback" in June.

At the beginning of August, owner Arthur Bank expressed confidence in Ridder as well. "I like our young quarterback. People look at just the last four games last year ... but he really progressed ... Continued to develop."

Blank also made it clear what's at stake for the Falcons this year. "I expect our team to be even more competitive, if you will, with the emphasis on the defensive side of the ball during free agency," he told reporters.

"We've got a lot of talent," he continued.

That won't matter unless Ridder takes advantage of his good fortune.