Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Tuesday that second-year pro Desmond Ridder will begin the season as the team's starting quarterback.
Smith, speaking with reporters at the league meetings in Arizona, committed publicly to Ridder for the first time since the end of the season, after Ridder went 2-2 over the final four games of Atlanta's season.
"The plan is to start Desmond," Smith told reporters in Arizona. "That's our plan going forward right now."
Atlanta drafted Ridder in the third round out of Cincinnati last year. He spent the first 13 games of the season backing up Marcus Mariota before being named the starter after the team's bye week in December.