Falcons continue to show how much Desmond Ridder scared them with yet another QB move
The Atlanta Falcons continue to show just how much draft-bust quarterback Desmond Ridder scared them. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons put in a waiver claim this week for former New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke. However, the New York Giants were higher on the priority list and landed Rourke instead. […]
The Atlanta Falcons continue to show just how much draft-bust quarterback Desmond Ridder scared them.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Falcons put in a waiver claim this week for former New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke.
However, the New York Giants were higher on the priority list and landed Rourke instead.
It's an odd move by the Falcons considering they're already loaded at the position.
Rourke would have been the fourth quarterback in a Falcons QB room that features veteran Kirk Cousins, recently drafted first-round pick Michael Penix Jr., and backup Taylor Heinicke.
Adding Penix Jr. to the room was already shocking enough since they had just paid Cousins a guaranteed $100 million contract.
But the Falcons' quarterback plan is something they have preached over and over this offseason, and it comes after Ridder failed to live up to expectations.
Ridder originally joined the Falcons as a 2022 third-round draft pick under the Arthur Smith era. He made four starts as a rookie before he was officially named QB1 ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Ridder completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns with 12 interceptions through 15 games last fall.
After several uninspiring performances, Ridder was benched twice for Heinicke, who didn't play any better. And the Falcons were back to square one again this offseason.
Newly hired head coach Raheem Morris was even savage enough to throw shade at Ridder and the Falcons' past decisions.
"If we had better quarterback play, I probably would not be standing here at this podium," Morris said at the 2024 NFL Combine.
The Falcons can't afford to not get the quarterback situation right this year, so it sounds like they're going to hoard QBs until they find the right one.
[Bad joke]
But in all seriousness, let's [try to] trust the Falcons' thought process because they're just traumatized.
Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. wants to show how ‘very unique’ talents set him apart from rest of 2024 NFL Draft QBs
How Michael Penix Jr. fits with the Atlanta Falcons and what he had to say about what he brings to the table at the next level.
