The Raiders informed Ridder on Friday that the team will not tender the quarterback an offer as a restricted free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The Raiders were heavily involved in talks with Matthew Stafford, but Stafford opted to return to the Rams on a new deal Friday. Las Vegas will need to go on to its next option at the position, but the depth chart will not include Ridder. Signed off the Cardinals' practice squad in October, Ridder appeared in six games (one start) for the Raiders last season. He completed just 61.2 percent of his 85 pass attempts for 458 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ridder will look for a backup opportunity elsewhere.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Makes six appearances as reserve QB
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Ridder completed 52 of 85 pass attempts for 458 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions across six regular-season appearances with the Raiders in 2024.
Ridder only started one of his six appearances with Las Vegas, a Week 15 loss to the Falcons -- the team that drafted him -- in which both Gardner Minshew (collarbone) and Aidan O'Connell were unavailable due to injury. A 2022 third-round pick, Ridder has now logged a 14:14 TD:INT rate across the last two seasons, with ball security issues also remaining a consistent concern -- he has three fumbles (two lost) during his time with the Raiders. The 25-year-old is slated to become a restricted free agent this offseason, making it easy for Las Vegas to retain him as a reserve option at quarterback should the team choose to do so.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Throws two picks on MNF
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Ridder completed 23 of 39 pass attempts for 208 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while rushing five times for 28 yards in Monday's 15-9 loss to the Falcons.
Ridder got a spot start in place of injured starter Aidan O'Connell (knee) on Monday, squaring off against the team that drafted the backup in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The 24-year-old Ridder was inconsistent in his first start for Las Vegas, committing a pair of turnovers before cashing in a late garbage-time touchdown in the loss. O'Connell's injury isn't considered serious, so there's a decent chance Ridder returns to the bench for Sunday's tilt against Jacksonville.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: On track to start Monday
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Ridder is expected to start Monday's contest against the Falcons with Aidan O'Connell (knee) seemingly a game-time decision, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Ridder has been Las Vegas' expected starter approaching Week 16 action, but O'Connell (knee), who officially is listed as questionable, will have a chance to log a pregame workout to determine his availability. Official word on O'Connell's status will arrive no later than 90 minutes prior to Monday's 8:30 p.m. ET kickoff, but fantasy managers should brace for the eventually of it being Ridder who commands the Raiders offense, which will be led by top wideout Jakobi Meyers, rookie phenom Brock Bowers and backfield riser Sincere McCormick.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Expected to start Week 15
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Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said Monday that Ridder is expected to start against the Falcons in Week 15, though the team still is waiting for updates on the health of Aidan O'Connell (knee), Tashan Reed of The Athletic reports.
Ridder appears in line for at least a spot start under center Week 15 and potentially a longer run in the No. 1 role, depending on the severity of O'Connell's injury. The 25-year-old quarterback was solid in relief during Sunday's 28-13 loss to the Buccaneers, entering with just over 14 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 101 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, while also rushing twice for three yards. He recovered his only fumble.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Needed in relief Sunday
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Ridder completed five of 10 passes for 64 yards after replacing replacing Gardner Minshew (collarbone) during Sunday's 29-19 loss to the Broncos. Ridder added three rushing yards on one carry.
Minshew took a sack late in the fourth quarter and suffered a broken collarbone that will cost him the rest of the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Ridder took over for the Raiders and was sacked himself two plays later, losing a fumble, but on his one full drive under center he nearly led Las Vegas to a touchdown, only for Tre Tucker to be ruled down short of the goal line inside the final minute. Aidan O'Connell (thumb) will be eligible to return from IR for a Week 13 trip to Kansas City, but if he's not ready Ridder would be in line for his first start of the season. There's also a chance the Raiders could bring in a quarterback like Daniel Jones from outside the organization.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Will remain backup
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Ridder will remain the Raiders' backup quarterback in Sunday's game against the Dolphins after head coach Antonio Pierce announced Wednesday that Gardner Minshew will retain starting duties, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reports.
Though Minshew was pulled early for performance-related reasons for the third time in seven starts in the Raiders' Week 9 loss to the Bengals, Pierce said coming out of a Week 10 bye that Minshew gives the team the best chance to win. Ridder came on in relief of Minshew versus Cincinnati and wasn't overly impressive, as he completed 11 of 16 passes for 74 yards (4.6 YPA) and a touchdown, but he also lost a fumble. While Minshew will keep the job for now, he remains a weekly candidate to be benched if he struggles to move the offense, so it may not be long before Ridder gets another opportunity.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Week 11 Waiver Priority List
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The Raiders haven't announced their starting quarterback yet for Week 11 at Miami, but it could be Ridder instead of Gardner Minshew (8 percent rostered). Whoever starts for Las Vegas is worth using in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues as an injury or bye-week replacement and is worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB. I'd prefer to see Ridder instead of Minshew against the Dolphins.
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Raiders' Desmond Ridder: Signed by Raiders
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Ridder was signed by the Raiders off of Arizona's practice squad Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Ridder has yet to appear in a game this season while spending the entirety of the year to this point with the Cardinals' practice unit. The quarterback now will be on the Raiders' active roster for at least three games, presumably serving as the top backup option behind Gardner Minshew while Aidan O'Connell (thumb) is unavailable. Ridder appeared in 15 games with the Falcons in 2023, producing 2,836 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while also adding 193 yards and five scores on the ground.
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Desmond Ridder: Brought back by Cardinals
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The Cardinals signed Ridder to their practice squad Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 2022 third-round pick out of Cincinnati failed to make the Cardinals' initial 53-man roster, but he's now been brought back to the team's practice squad. Ridder threw for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns and just as many interceptions across his 15 regular-season contests with the Falcons last year. He's now expected to serve as Arizona's No. 3 quarterback option in 2024.
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Cardinals' Desmond Ridder: Ready to compete again
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Ridder cleared the league's concussion protocols Monday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Ridder suffered a concussion during Sunday's preseason loss to the Broncos, so his time in protocols was short-lived. The Cincinnati product is slated to be the Cardinals' backup quarterback this season, and his quick return to full health should ensure he'll be in that position Week 1 behind Kyler Murray.
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Cardinals' Desmond Ridder: Concussed in preseason finale
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Ridder is in concussion protocol following Sunday's 38-12 preseason loss to the Broncos, per head coach Jonathan Gannon, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Ridder went to the locker room in the second half to be evaluated for a head injury, and the testing revealed a concussion. Prior to exiting the game, Ridder completed 10 of 16 passes for 111 yards and rushed twice for 25 yards. If Ridder is unable to pass the NFL's five-step concussion protocol prior to the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Bills, Clayton Tune would back up Kyler Murray.
Ridder looks set to start Saturday's exhibition opener against the Saints, and potentially Arizona's following two preseason contests, after coach Jonathan Gannon said Tuesday that Kyler Murray will not play until Week 1, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Ridder, who was dealt to the Cardinals back in March, appears primed for a busy preseason along with No. 3 quarterback Clayton Tune. After appearing in 19 regular-season games for the Falcons over the last two years, Ridder brings some NFL experience to the table as Murray's top backup, but he won't see much of the field this season if all goes well for Arizona.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Sliding into backup role
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Ridder figures to be relegated to a backup role with the Falcons set to sign Kirk Cousins, per the team's official website.
The 2022 third-round pick has won eight of his 17 NFL starts while throwing 14 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. He's completed 64.0 percent of his passes for 7.0 YPA, but with a higher-than-average sack rate (7.4 percent) and nine lost fumbles. Overall, Ridder has the same number of turnovers (19) as combined passing and rushing TDs in the NFL. The Falcons likely will release Taylor Heinicke after their agreement with Cousins becomes official.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Loses grip on starting gig
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Ridder will be replaced by Taylor Heinicke as Atlanta's starting quarterback Sunday versus the Colts, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Ridder is being benched for the second time this season, a move which Kendall reports could signal the end of his starting tenure for the Falcons. The switch comes following an unimpressive performance by Ridder in poor weather conditions, when he completed 12 of 20 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Atlanta's narrow 9-7 loss to the Panthers in Week 15. Perhaps more crucially, Ridder set up Carolina's final game-winning drive with a crucial red zone interception. The second-year signal-caller will presumably operate as Heinicke's backup Sunday versus Indianapolis.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Underwhelming in Week 15 loss
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Ridder completed 12 of 20 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception and netted minus-2 yards on five rush attempts in the Falcons' 9-7 loss to the Panthers on Sunday. He also committed a fumble recovered by Atlanta.
A week after throwing for a career-high 347 yards against the Buccaneers, Ridder's production took a steep drop on a rainy afternoon in Carolina. The second-year signal-caller finished well under the 200-yard mark for the third time in four games since returning to the top of the depth chart, and the only highlight of his day was a two-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson in the latter portion of the second quarter. Ridder's hold on the starting job could be somewhat shaky once again following Sunday's performance, and if he remains under center, he'll face an aggressive Colts defense in a Week 16 home matchup.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Career-high yardage tally in loss
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Ridder completed 26 of 40 passes for 347 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Falcons' 29-25 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also rushed four times for 15 yards and another score, committed two fumbles and lost one, and threw a two-point conversion pass.
Ridder had about as eventful a day as his final line implies, compiling a career-high yardage tally while also accounting for multiple touchdowns for the fourth time this season. Ridder and Drake London were the most lethal quarterback-receiver duo on the field by far Sunday, with the second-year wideout accounting for 10 of Ridder's completions and 172 of his yards. Ridder also connected with London for his late two-point conversion pass, and he came about four yards short of successfully orchestrating a game-winning Hail Mary with London as time expired. Ridder had failed to eclipse 168 passing yards in either of his first two starts since his demotion, but Sunday's breakout affords him plenty of momentum going into a Week 15 road battle against the Panthers.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Mistake-prone in return
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Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and added 30 rushing yards on seven carries in the Falcons' 24-15 win over the Saints on Sunday.
Ridder's return to the starting job was far from crisp, with the second-year signal-caller posting his third multi-interception tally of the campaign. However, Ridder was able to leverage his ground game, defense and a depleted Saints offense to help lead the Falcons to a much-needed win while failing to reach the 200-yard mark for the third time in a full game this season. Ridder showed very good rapport with top target Drake London and threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson, but otherwise, the remaining Atlanta players that caught a pass combined for just five receptions and 45 yards. Ridder will aim to contribute much more through the air in a tough matchup against a stingy Jets secondary in a Week 13 road clash.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Confirmed as starter
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Head coach Arthur Smith confirmed Monday that Ridder will reclaim starting quarterback duties Sunday against the Saints, and the Falcons plan to stick with the second-year signal-caller as their starter for the rest of the season, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.
Smith's announcement doesn't come as a major surprise, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported over the weekend that Ridder was set to move back into the starting role after he had been benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) for the two games leading up to Atlanta's Week 11 bye. Though Heinicke isn't expected to practice this week while he continues to recover from a hamstring strain he sustained Week 10, he lost both of his games as starter and completed just 54.7 percent of his throws for 6.1 yards per attempt in those outings. As such, Heinicke's injury doesn't appear to be the only reason that the Falcons are turning the starting job back over to Ridder, who has fared better from an efficiency standpoint than Heinicke over nine appearances (65.4 percent completion rate, 7.1 YPA) and presents a slight upgrade as a rushing threat (150 yards, four touchdowns on 32 carries). Turnovers (six interceptions, six lost fumbles) have been the main bugaboo for Ridder, but Smith is hopeful that the time on the bench in addition to the confidence the quarterback displayed upon replacing Heinicke late in the Week 10 game will serve as a springboard for Ridder to show improvement coming out of the bye week.
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Falcons' Desmond Ridder: Benched for Week 9
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Head coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that Ridder has been medically cleared but will serve as the top backup to Taylor Heinicke in Sunday's game versus the Vikings, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Smith noted that the decision to start Heinicke over Ridder for Week 9 was made with the short-term in mind. Ridder was forced out of last week's loss to the Titans in the first half and evaluated for a concussion, and even after he was medically cleared to return, the Falcons stuck with Heinicke at quarterback to finish out the contest. Smith is seemingly still taking a cautious approach to Ridder's health, though the Falcons will allow him to suit up Sunday in a backup capacity. Even if the starting decision was made solely with Sunday's game against Minnesota in mind, if Heinicke is able to show well, he could end up sticking as the team's No. 1 signal-caller going forward. Through eight games, Ridder has turned the ball over 12 times (six interceptions, six lost fumbles) and compiled just nine touchdowns (six passing, three rushing).
