I felt pretty strongly that we would see Desmond Ridder this season, but the question was always when. The answer, after 13 games on the Marcus Mariota roller coaster with all its thrilling highs and infuriating lows, appears to be Week 15.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Atlanta Falcons will announce Ridder as their starter for Sunday’s tilt against the Saints. The rookie will get an opportunity to make one hell of a first impression in a charged matchup against Atlanta’s biggest rival. Ridder will get four games to show he has what it takes to keep the starting job in 2023, a pivotal year for a franchise set up with the cap space and draft capital to drastically improve.