The Cardinals gave up Rondale Moore for Desmond Ridder in March, marking one of a few trades this year involving a 2022 QB draftee. Arizona is moving on quickly.
While Ridder could conceivably still be in the Cardinals’ plans (via the practice squad), he will need to clear waivers first. After battling for the team’s backup job with 2023 draftee Clayton Tune, Ridder received word he will be cut, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Between their Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. additions, the Falcons quickly moved to deal Ridder. The team had benched the 2022 third-rounder twice last season, a year that led to Arthur Smith‘s ouster. It had been assumed going into the Cards’ offseason program Ridder would likely be Kyler Murray‘s new backup, but Tune has changed the equation. The 2023 fifth-rounder will remain in that role, with Ridder now available to be claimed before Wednesday’s 11am CT deadline.
This move might come with an injury designation. Ridder sustained a concussion in the Cardinals’ preseason finale against the Broncos. Tune, however, completed 67% of his preseason passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. Ridder closed at 57% and 6.4 yards per pass. Tune also spent the second half of last season as Murray’s backup. Although Tune submitted an ugly showing in Cleveland following the Josh Dobbs trade, he held his own this summer.
Arizona has moved on from its presumed backup for a second straight summer. The team cut Colt McCoy last year, acquiring Dobbs via trade and turning to him as a Week 1 starter despite a late-August arrival. The Cardinals traded Dobbs to the suddenly QB-needy Vikings at the deadline, moving Tune up the depth chart. Tune did throw an interception against the Broncos on Sunday, but the Cards’ staff looks to feel comfortable enough to move on from a notable trade addition.
Two years remain on Ridder’s rookie contract, but the Cards will incur no dead money from the cut due to the Falcons having taken on the prorated signing bonus money in the trade. Three seasons remain on Tune’s deal, and it is certainly worth noting this Cardinals regime drafted the Houston product. Ridder has conversely seen his stock tumble since being drafted by the Falcons.
The Falcons showed surprising confidence in Ridder last year, proclaiming the Cincinnati alum their starter months before training camp. Ridder had replaced Marcus Mariota late last year, and Arthur Blank expressed interest in building around his rookie contract. After Ridder finished with a 12-12 TD-INT ratio and ranked 26th in QBR, the Falcons returned to the high-priced QB business by paying Cousins hours into the legal tampering period. They traded Ridder later that week.
A team claiming Ridder would have him on a $985K base salary. If unclaimed by Wednesday’s deadline, the 2022 No. 74 overall pick will make a surprising voyage into free agency.
