The Cardinals recently traded for quarterback Desmond Ridder to be their backup behind Kyler Murray.
During a Wednesday press conference, General Manager Monti Ossenfort noted that Ridder has “played a lot of ball” over the last two seasons, receiving 17 starts for the Falcons.
“There is no substitute for experience, especially at the quarterback position,” Ossenfort said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website. “We’re seeking to add competition to the roster. ... Adding Desmond to the room with Kyler and Clayton [Tune] gives us three guys who will give us a good battle. They are all shaped a little differently but they all schematically can do similar things.”
Tune, a fifth-round pick in 2023, played in seven games as a rookie. But he appeared overwhelmed in his start against the Browns when he completed 11-of-20 passes for just 58 yards with two interceptions. He also took seven sacks.
Ridder compiled an 8-9 record in his 17 games as a starter over the last two years. In 19 total appearances for the Falcons, the 2022 third-round pick has completed 64 percent of his throws for 3,544 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon noted Ridder’s skill set stood out.
“[He’s a] big guy. Arm talent. Mobility. Smart. Plays fast,” Gannon said. “That’s what jumped off the tape to me. And I know we had to play him so prepping for him too, talking to some people you know what the character of the guy is, so he was a good addition and what we were looking for there.”
