FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is ready to get back on the field.
The Falcons’ newly minted full-time starter reported for duty Monday, the first day of the offseason program.
“It’s like the first day of school, except when you go on the first day of school, you have the same classmates,” Ridder said Tuesday. “But half of your classmates are gone, and you have new classmates. It was fun to get in here and see new faces. See the energy around the building (with) guys just coming in here ready to work.”
Ridder, who was drafted in the third round (74th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft, started the final four games of last season and posted a 2-2 mark.
After losing the Deshaun Watson derby to Cleveland, the Falcons moved on from long-time quarterback Matt Ryan in 2022. He was traded to the Colts for a third-round draft pick.
The Falcons opened last season with Marcus Mariota as the starter. After 13 games, Ridder was summoned to start. After the season, the Falcons wouldn’t name Ridder as the starter and failed to do so again at the NFL scouting combine.
With no declaration from the team, the notion that the Falcons should acquire Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson took on a life of its own. Finally, at the owner’s meeting in March, coach Arthur Smith publicly declared Ridder the starter.
However, Ridder felt that it was his job since last season.
“Week 14, whenever that was, and going through the bye week, that’s when I was told then,” Ridder said. “From that point on, it was just going into the offseason, myself just taking it as if you’re the starter. ... That was my mindset from as soon as I stepped on the field for the first time down in New Orleans, was to obviously take it and run with it.”
Before the proclamation, the Falcons did tell Taylor Heinicke that he was signed to be the backup quarterback.
“We’ve been throwing this offseason for the past couple of weeks,” Ridder said. “We’ve gotten to know each other real well. We’ve been in meetings the last couple of days to see where his head is at. We’ll get on the golf course here, soon. I’ll see what his game is like. (Third-string quarterback) Logan (Woodside) has been talking up a big game, too.”
Heinicke, who played at Collins Hill High, has started 25 games in the NFL and has a 12-12-1 record as a starter.
During the final four games of last season, Ridder played 271 offensive snaps. He completed 73 of 115 passes (63.5%) for 708 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 86.4.
“He made significant improvement from his first start, second start, third and fourth,” Smith said. “We expect him to make another leap this offseason.”
Ridder will have the benefit of staying in the same system next season.
“Those are huge factors,” Ridder said. “There is a very select few who get to say that they’ve had the same scheme, offensive coordinator and head coach for multiple years in a row. For myself being one of those guys, I’m going to take advantage of that.”
The Falcons will have most of their starters back on offense.
“Going in here with (center) Drew (Dalman) and these wide receivers and getting the run game down and, again, the pass game as good as it needs to be with the receivers, from a mental standpoint, that’s where you are going to see the next step and excel from,” Ridder said.
Starting right guard Chris Lindstrom is a Ridder backer.
“Des was incredible last year with how he approached things,” Lindstrom said. “Now, I’m so excited with the opportunity that he has. But his communication, leadership and when he’s coming out of the huddle, as an offensive lineman, it’s something that we know he brings every day.”
Lindstrom believes that Ridder and the offensive unit will come together.
“The great part about these OTAs is to build that relationship,” Lindstrom said. “Even the small things, his tone of voice and his timing of his tone of voice. How he is going to do different things as an offensive lineman is very important. It’s going to be really fun to work on those small things.”
While the offseason program is “voluntary,” Ridder knew he needed to be on hand.
“It’s to set an example,” Ridder said. “It’s being the voice. Being in that locker room, being that guy that guys go to maybe ask questions or whatever it may be. ... Just pushing them and bringing everyone together. We are just working on growing our culture, as brothers and just trying to grow closer.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC
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Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez / miguel.martinezjimenez@ajc.com
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Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
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