Falcons owner: 'We're very excited about Desmond Ridder'

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is confidently backing his young quarterback for the 2023-24 season.

"We're very excited about Desmond Ridder," Blank said, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.

The Falcons drafted Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati product was the second quarterback to go off the board behind Kenny Pickett.

Ridder started the season as Marcus Mariota's backup but was thrown into the fire in Week 15 when the latter was benched.

"I think from the time he came into training camp, he showed great capabilities as a leader amongst the rookies and then amongst the vets," Blank said.

Ridder completed 63% of his passes in four starts, throwing for 708 yards and two touchdowns.

The Falcons hold the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, opening the door for the team to take a new franchise quarterback.

"There's a lot of things strategically that will play out over the next couple of months," head coach Arthur Smith said, according to Rothstein. "But feel good about where we're at."

Mariota signed a two-year, $18.75-million contract last offseason, but the Falcons can save $12 million if they cut him before June 1, according to Over The Cap.