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Raheem Morris, the coach of the Falcons, taunts Desmond Ridder, saying, “I might not be standing here if we had better quarterback play.”
Raheem Morris dispelled any uncertainty on Desmond Ridder’s status as the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.
During the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, the new head coach was open about Ridder’s performance from the previous campaign. He made no mention of Ridder by name. It was not necessary for him to.
“I might not be standing here,” Morris said to reporters if Atlanta’s quarterback play had been stronger the previous season.
Morris took over as head coach of the Falcons this summer, having dropped 10 games in each of Arthur Smith’s three seasons in that role. To Morris’ point, if Ridder had performed better in the previous season, Smith could still be employed. Still, the Falcons are looking for a new quarterback because he didn’t.
Morris thinks the Falcons can succeed the next year.
Morris’s remarks were made in light of the quality that the Falcons do have in the future. He attributed the Falcons’ ability to contend next season to the talent the team’s front office has acquired, particularly general manager Terry Fontenot. That is, if they can find a quarterback.
“Now, it’s time to implement a couple new things, go out there and find out who’s gonna be the triggerman for us and put ourselves in a position to win,” Morris stated. “We are able and capable of competing and winning next year, and I don’t hesitate to say that. We can do that if we take the proper actions and follow the correct steps.
And it’s not conceit either. That isn’t arrogance. That speaks more highly of the individuals who are still in the building with me, as well as some of the individuals who are no longer there.”
Regarding Atlanta’s quarterback performance from the previous season, Raheem Morris was blunt. (Getty Images/Stacy Revere)
Regarding Atlanta’s quarterback performance from the previous season, Raheem Morris was blunt. (Getty Images/Stacy Revere))
Among this talent are tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson, all of whom were chosen with top-8 picks in their respective drafts. Finding a new quarterback is necessary to maximize those assets because there is pressure on the team.
In an interview on the team’s website, Fontenot reaffirmed that doing so is a top priority this offseason.
“I am very excited about where we are, but we will be aggressive and we have to make this total team better,” Fontenot stated. “Clearly, we’re going to get the quarterback position right, not close.”
qb: what will the Falcons do?
There’s no obvious route for the Falcons to take when selecting their next quarterback. Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins, two NFL veterans, might be available. The Falcons are not in a position to select any of the best prospects in the 2018 draft, including Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, unless they trade up from the No. 8 choice. Deeper in the draft, there are less desirable possibilities.
How does Ridder end up after all of this? The explanation is unknown, except from the fact that he is not the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback.
Ridder, who was selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, started for Atlanta as a rookie last year. He was benched by Week 9 in favor of Taylor Heinicke, the backup. After making a comeback in Week 10, he was benched once more by Week 15.
In 15 appearances, he completed 64.2% of his throws for an average of 189.1 yards per game, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions by the end of the season. Out of twelve fumbles, he lost seven. Heinicke’s performance was not much better, with five touchdowns and four interceptions in five games.
For the sixth consecutive season, the Falcons ended 7-10 and were not in the postseason. whoever is called up to play quarterback
