The Bengals have agreed to terms with free agent QB Desmond Ridder, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ridder was eligible for restricted free agency this offseason but was non-tendered by the Raiders. A planned Broncos workout did not take place, and a workout with the Colts did not produce a deal.
Ridder, who will turn 26 next month, entered the league as a third-round pick of the Falcons in 2022. He earned a starting job by the end of his rookie year, and he was named the starter in advance of the 2023 campaign. Despite a brief demotion in favor of Taylor Heinicke that year, Ridder started 13 games, winning six of them.
His performance was generally underwhelming — and was certainly not enough to prevent Atlanta from signing Kirk Cousins in free agency last offseason — and he was traded to the Cardinals shortly after Cousins came aboard. Ridder ultimately lost Arizona’s backup quarterback battle to Clayton Tune, and after he spent several months on the team’s taxi squad, he signed with the QB-needy Las Vegas outfit.
Ridder started just one game for the Raiders (in Week 15), and he completed 23 of 39 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions in a 15-9 loss. The new Vegas regime is moving forward with Aidan O’Connell as its backup to new acquisition Geno Smith, leaving Ridder to search for his next opportunity elsewhere.
As he battles for his NFL future, Ridder will at least be in familiar environs, as he excelled as a collegian with the University of Cincinnati (leading the Bearcats to the college football playoff semi-finals against Alabama in 2021). Bengals HC Zac Taylor worked as the Bearcats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016 and played a significant role in recruiting Ridder, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Nonetheless, Conway says Ridder will be competing for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Logan Woodside. That indicates Jake Browning’s job as Joe Burrow’s top backup is safe.
Welcome back to Cincy!
His fourth team in 3 years can’t believe I thought this kid would help Atlanta win games
With better QB coaching, who knows? Probably not, but we never know what’s possible with a different team or staff. Some players could have been better or worse.
As an example of hypothetical players being different in other circumstances, I, think that Mahomes very likely could have been a Jameis Winston style turnover machine on a team that didn’t have proper QB coaching and a good passing scheme. As an example of getting fooled, I thought Daniels would be “ehhh” in the NFL, and right now he looks like a franchise player. We all get fooled now and again. Don’t take it personally, you still know ball.
Yeah thanks. when he was drafted I remember being so excited because his college tape and experience looked good. It never translated. And yeah who knows behind burrow and with better coaching he can improve amazingly
That’s a point that cannot possibly be over-emphasized.
Like, Bears fans (justifiably) lament the team passing on Mahomes, and while that would’ve been an exponentially better draft pick than Trubisky, it’s highly unlikely that Mahomes would’ve enjoyed the success he’s had with KC. The Bears totally could’ve derailed his potential, which is a likely scenario considering their history with developing (“developing”) QBs.
Some players, and especially QBs, can have a sea change effect on a team’s fortunes, but the nature of the game is such that- with so many moving parts moving so damn quickly- a player’s success individually is dependent on so many different variables outside their immediate control.
It’s completely possible that the greatest QB of all time got wrecked by the team that drafted him, floated around the league in a back-up capacity, and retired before he hit thirty, and never got the opportunity to display the greatness he could achieve had he only landed in a place that could afford him an avenue for success.
Bengals are all in.
Cheap ass Bengals signed another QB. But they can’t sign Trey and Stewart their 1st round pick of the 2025. Hope that the Bengals finished in last place this Season