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Desmond Ridder

Bengals Trim Roster To 53 Players

August 26th, 2025 at 6:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals have finalized their 53-man roster with the following 27 roster moves, per a team announcement:

Placed on IR (designated for return)

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Anthony (hamstring) and Johnson (calf) are a pair of 2024 Day 3 picks who will be sidelined for at least four games after picking up injuries in training camp. Anthony is not expected to miss much time, per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Complications from a college knee surgery are expected to sidelined All for the entire season, but keeping him on the PUP list keeps the Bengals’ options open. Even getting All back on the practice field late in the season could go a long way towards a 2026 comeback.

Adomitis was the Bengals’ long snapper for the last three years, but undrafted rookie Will Wagner beat him out for the starting job in training camp, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

If Ridder ever had a legitimate chance at beating out Jake Browning for Cincinnati’s backup quarterback job, he was unable to capitalize on it. With 18 starts under his belt in the last three years – albeit with uninspiring production – Ridder could draw interest on waivers for a team looking to upgrade their quarterback depth.

Volson is expected to be out for the year after undergoing shoulder surgery. He will revert to the Bengals’ season-ending injured reserve if he is not claimed on waivers. The Bengals may pursue an injury settlement to save cap space with almost $2.5MM of non-guaranteed money on Volson’s contract, per OverTheCap.

Bengals Sign QB Desmond Ridder

July 20th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Parks

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. 

Colts To Work Out QB Desmond Ridder

June 10th, 2025 at 2:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Anthony Richardson‘s concerning form when healthy played a major part in Daniel Jones‘ arrival, the Colts have continued to see the former No. 4 overall pick run into injury trouble. That is again the case, with the third-year player set to miss minicamp with a new malady.

A Richardson shoulder issue has left Jones a clear runway to work with Indianapolis’ first-stringers this week, but the team will also look at an experienced backup option at minicamp. Desmond Ridder will participate at the Colts’ mandatory workouts, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder notes.

Given command of the Falcons’ offense well before their 2023 training camp, Ridder could not keep the job throughout the season and was then traded to the Cardinals straight up for Rondale Moore. Ridder washed out quickly in Arizona, failing to make the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp. That led him to Las Vegas, but as another new coaching staff took over, it did not prioritize Ridder. The Raiders nontendered the former third-round pick as an RFA, after he appeared in six games and made one 2024 start, and he has remained in unrestricted free agency since.

A Broncos workout possibility emerged last month, but it turned out Sean Payton‘s team did not have such plans. Ridder will now make a case he can be a Colts backup. The Broncos added ex-Indy reserve Sam Ehlinger as a third-stringer this offseason, but the Colts soon addressed the position in the draft by choosing Riley Leonard in Round 6. Leonard joins second-year UDFA Jason Bean as healthy options at Colts minicamp.

Richardson’s second opinion did not reveal anything different from his first, according to Fox59’s Mike Chappell. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the QB’s 2023 shoulder surgery, concurred with the Colts regarding a rest-based rehab program. Shane Steichen said Tuesday no timetable is in place, but Richardson will be expected back either before or during training camp. He has yet to be cleared to resume throwing, but missing this week certainly will deal a blow to the Florida product’s chances of beginning a third season as the Colts’ starter.

QB Desmond Ridder Will Not Try Out For Broncos

May 8th, 2025 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

MAY 8: Ridder’s tryout will not take place after all. Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports the veteran will not actually be in Denver during the team’s rookie minicamp. Ridder will no doubt still have plenty of other opportunities to compete for a roster spot this offseason, though.

MAY 6: Desmond Ridder continues to look for his next gig, and he may find that opportunity in Denver. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the veteran quarterback will participate at Broncos rookie minicamp as a veteran tryout player.

Ridder got into six games for the Raiders in 2024, but the team didn’t place a tender on him after the season, making him an unrestricted free agent. A number of backup-quality QBs have since signed new contracts, leaving Ridder as one of the few experienced options left on the market. Outside of Aaron Rodgers, the rest of the current free agent options include Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, and Tyler Huntley.

Ridder got one start for the Raiders last season, completing 23 of his 39 pass attempts for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a loss to the Falcons. He had a handful of additional relief appearances, and he ultimately finished the season with 85 pass attempts.

The former third-round pick got an extended look as a starter in 2023, when he went 6-7 with the Falcons. He tossed 12 touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions that year, and he added another five touchdowns on the ground. He was traded to the Cardinals after the season and spent the first month of the 2024 campaign on Arizona’s practice squad.

The top of Denver’s depth chart is settled with Bo Nix as the starter and Jarrett Stidham as the QB2. If Ridder does catch on with the Broncos, he would likely compete with Sam Ehlinger for the QB3 role or the first shot at a practice squad gig.

Raiders Won’t Place RFA Tender On Desmond Ridder, Looking Into Justin Fields

February 28th, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders are not planning to place a restricted free agent tender on quarterback Desmond Ridder, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Ridder appeared in six games for the Raiders in 2024 with one start. He completed 52 of his 85 passing attempts for 458 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, resulting in a career-low 73.6 passer rating. That performance made it clear that Ridder is not a starting-caliber quarterback, but an RFA tender could have kept him in Las Vegas as an inexpensive backup.

However, the new Raiders regime has more ambitious plans for the position. In addition to moving on from Ridder, they are also expected to release Gardner Minshew as they search free agency and the draft for their next quarterback. Las Vegas has already been linked with Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson, and they are also expected to explore signing Justin Fields, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Ridder, meanwhile, will join a backup quarterback market in free agency that includes experienced veterans like Jacoby Brissett and Marcus Mariota as well as younger options like Zach Wilson and Trey Lance.

Originally a Falcons’ third-round pick in 2022, Ridder earned a starting job by the end of his rookie year. He continued as the starter for most of the 2023 season, but was deemed surplus to requirements after Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins. Ridder was then traded to the Cardinals, where he ended up on the practice squad after losing the backup quarterback battle in training camp.

The Raiders then signed Ridder off of the Cardinals’ practice squad to serve as Minshew’s backup after Aidan O’Connell landed on injured reserve. Ridder came in for Minshew after he broke his collarbone in Week 12, but O’Connell took over the starting job when he returned from IR the following week. O’Connell’s struggles in Week 14 gave Ridder a chance to finish the game under center and start in Week 15. He played the entire game, but completed less than 60% of his passes and threw two interceptions. The Raiders went back to O’Connell in Week 16, and Ridder played just three snaps for the rest of the season.

Ridder’s step back in Las Vegas will hurt his free agent stock this spring. Like last year, he may enter training camp competing for a roster spot as the No. 2 quarterback.

Raiders Expected To Start Desmond Ridder In Week 15

December 16th, 2024 at 6:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:10pm: Desmond Ridder will indeed be starting for the Raiders tonight. Aidan O’Connell is inactive and has been labeled as the team’s emergency third QB.

1:10pm: Aidan O’Connell suffered a knee injury in Week 14 which was originally feared to end his season. The second-year Raiders quarterback is actually facing a much less serious timeline, but he is still not expected to play tonight.

As O’Connell rehabs his bone bruise, Vegas is set to turn elsewhere under center. The Raiders are expected to start Desmond Ridder in Week 15, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. O’Connell will take part in a pre-game warmup, but at this point Ridder is positioned to get the nod.

Provided that turns out to be the case, Ridder’s first start as a Raider will come against one of his former teams. The 25-year-old spent his first three seasons with Atlanta, Vegas’ Monday night opponent. In the wake of the Falcons’ reset at the QB spot this spring, Ridder was traded to the Cardinals in a swap for Rondale Moore. Arizona waived him during roster cutdowns, however, a move which opened the door to a departure. Ridder remained with the Cardinals on their practice squad until October.

O’Connell’s thumb injury led him to injured reserve at that time, creating the need for additional QB depth. Ridder was added as a backup option to Gardner Minshew, although the latter has since suffered a season-ending broken collarbone. With O’Connell now on the mend once again, Ridder is in line to see at least one start before the end of the campaign. The Raiders sit at 2-11 on the year, and Maxx Crosby‘s upcoming ankle surgery adds further to the extent to which 2024 is a lost season.

For Ridder, however, a run of starts would allow him to audition for either a depth role in Vegas for 2025 or a deal from another team. The Raiders are widely expected to pursue a quarterback this offseason via free agency and/or the draft (particularly if they land the No. 1 pick). Ridder should not be considered a contender for the starting gig in Vegas or on any other team, but his chances of securing a backup role could be boosted by his performance down the stretch.

Raiders To Sign QB Desmond Ridder

October 21st, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Ben Levine

With Aidan O’Connell heading to IR, the Raiders are adding some quarterback depth. The team is signing Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

[RELATED: Raiders To Place QB Aidan O’Connell On IR]

Ridder was a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2022. The former Cincinnati star went 2-2 as a rookie after replacing Marcus Mariota as Atlanta’s QB1, and he spent the majority of last season as the team’s top quarterback. He ultimately started 17 games during his two-season stint in Atlanta, going 8-9 while completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also added another five touchdowns on the ground.

The QB was briefly replaced by Taylor Heinicke during the 2023 season. While Ridder eventually returned to the starting lineup, it was clear he didn’t have a future in Atlanta. After the organization added Kirk Cousins via free agency this offseason, Ridder was dealt to the Cardinals for wideout Rondale Moore.

Ridder was competing to be Kyler Murray‘s backup in Arizona but ended up losing the competition to Clayton Tune. The third-year pro later landed on the Cardinals practice squad, where he’s spent the first two months of the season.

Now, he could have an opportunity to play in Las Vegas. O’Connell fractured his thumb during yesterday’s loss, leaving the Raiders with Gardner Minshew and undrafted rookie Carter Bradley as their only two QBs. Minshew, who leads the NFL with 10 turnovers, was replaced as the starter two weeks ago. While the former Jaguars standout will likely slide back to the top of the depth chart, there’s a good chance he’s on a short leash, perhaps opening the door for a Ridder cameo.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 28th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Cardinals Waive QB Desmond Ridder

August 27th, 2024 at 11:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Cardinals Get Down To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals finalized their initial 53-man roster with the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

We’ve already reported on the most notable name, Ridder. The Cardinals instead opted to rely on second-year passer Clayton Tune to back up Kyler Murray behind center. There’s still a chance Ridder could remain on the practice squad as QB3.

Robinson and Jones will miss the first four games of the season, but both have been designated to return from IR eventually. Jones Jr. will miss the 2024 season, though.

Two rookie draft picks failed to make the 53-man. Alabama Birmingham receiver Palmer (sixth-round) and Miami (FL) cornerback Davis (seventh-round) both hit the waiver wire following the preseason. Undrafted receiver Xavier Weaver out of Colorado, does make the roster, though.

Other surprises were the cutting of Carter and Barnes. Carter struggled last year before parting ways with the Jets, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. Six games in Arizona last year were not enough to warrant a return in 2024 on the active roster. Carter had been shopped around a bit as of late, but with no buyers, he hits the waiver wire. Barnes started six games for the team last year after three years in Green Bay, where he started 24 games.

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