Desmond Ridder

Teams Targeting Late First-Round QB Trade-Ups?

April 25th, 2022 at 2:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

It is widely known by this point that the 2022 quarterback class is not held in the same regard as the average one. That has made it difficult to pin down the likely landing spots for the top prospects at the position, as well as the number of teams willing to spend a first-round pick on one of them. It would appear as though the back end of Day 1 could become the source of some QB-related trades, however.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that while Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett are the top options, the possibility exists for the next tier of passers to start being taken late in the opening round (video link). That group – which consists of Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corrall – could be the target of teams trading up from early in the second round.

As Pelissero notes, there are a number of teams near the top of the second round which could select a signal-caller. That list includes the Seahawks and Falcons; if they decline to draft the likes of Willis or Pickett in the top-10, they could try to move into the late 20s to land one of the three other passers in the (seemingly likely) event they are still available.

One team to consider in that scenario is the Lions. While they are expected to target the top remaining edge rusher with the No. 2 pick, the team also owns No. 32. It is with that final Day 1 selection, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports, that Detroit “is more likely [to] snag a QB… or move up a bit from there to do so”. Competition between the Lions and a number of other interested teams could create the circumstances needed for there to be “a run on some of those other quarterbacks”, as Pelissero details.

The pre-draft process has seen a number of opinions come out regarding this QB class and the value of developmental signal-callers versus more surefire prospects at other positions. Much will depend, of course, on how high Willis and Pickett go, but those two may not be the only passers to hear their names called on Day 1.

Steelers, Saints Likely To Take QB In First Round?

April 24th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Rory Parks

As those who even casually follow the NFL predraft process know by now, this year’s collegiate class includes an intriguing but flawed set of quarterbacks, which has led to seemingly unprecedented variance in how executives throughout the league are evaluating the prospects who play the most important position in sports.

ESPN draftnik Todd McShay said, “[w]hat’s wild about this year’s class — more so than any previous year that I can remember — is the difference of opinions when I get off the phone with one guy in the league versus the next guy. And I’m not just talking about scouts, I’m talking general managers, guys who are making the decisions” (via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).

Per McShay, one club has Ole Miss’ Matt Corral ranked as the top passer in the class, while several teams have Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder at the top of their respective draft boards. Liberty’s Malik Willis has frequently been mentioned as the QB with the highest ceiling, and while McShay suggests some teams prefer Willis to his draftmates, other clubs have Willis as the fourth-best signal-caller. Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, meanwhile, is generally viewed as either the best or second-best quarterback.

As one might expect in light of these differences in QB evaluations, there have been plenty of conflicting reports regarding how many passers might actually be selected in the first round. On Friday, Matt Miller of ESPN.com reported that it would not be a surprise to see Pickett as the only QB picked on Day 1, but Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network wrote on Saturday that the Saints and Steelers look like “sure bets” to nab a first-round quarterback, and that at least three QBs will hear their name called among the first 32 picks.

The Saints now have two first-round choices (Nos. 16 and 19 overall) by virtue of their trade with the Eagles earlier this month. McShay and others have opined that New Orleans did not make that move with the goal of selecting a quarterback, but it certainly puts the club in good position to do exactly that. Indeed, one thing that all evaluators do seem to agree on is that this year’s highest-profile QBs are not top-10 prospects, and are actually mid- to late-first-round talents. As such, even if the Saints do not want to package their two first-rounders in an effort to move into the top-10 and assure themselves of the opportunity to nab their preferred passer, they theoretically could still have their pick of the litter just by staying put (though the premium that teams place on the quarterback position suggests that such a strategy would be a risky one if New Orleans really does want to come away from the draft with its highest-rated quarterback in tow).

The Saints took top-30 visits with Corral, Pickett, Willis, and UNC passer Sam Howell, and that same quartet also met with the Steelers. Pittsburgh has heavily scouted this year’s quarterbacks and is said to prefer Pickett, though ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid (in the same Triplett piece linked above) reports that the Steelers are high on Ridder — with whom they also visited — and could be poised to pounce on the former Bearcat if he falls past the Saints.

Pauline writes that both Ridder and Corral are building first-round momentum, and he also hears that the Seahawks — who presently hold the No. 9 overall selection — could try to move into the back end of the first round to pick up a passer to groom behind Drew Lock. Earlier reports maintained that Seattle could use its top-10 choice on a QB, but Pauline’s piece implies that the club has other ideas for that pick. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reiterates that the ‘Hawks truly think Lock can be a legitimate NFL starter, which suggests that if team brass is targeting a quarterback in the draft, such a player would be acquired with the No. 40 or No. 41 pick or by packaging one or both of those picks to trade up 10 spots or so.

Interest In First-Round QBs Cooling?

April 22nd, 2022 at 1:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

With less than one week to go until this year’s draft, there are still plenty of questions regarding the top pick, as well as the quarterback class. The long-held belief has been that Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett are locks to go in the first round, but sentiment seems to be growing that the top signal-callers may have to wait longer than expected to hear their names called.

As noted by ESPN’s Matt Miller, “the momentum that swung [Pickett and Willis] up the board seems to be swinging back the other way”. He adds that Pickett (who has long been connected to the Steelers) is, in the eyes of some, the only surefire first-round prospect. His highly productive fifth season at Pittsburgh earned him Heisman trophy consideration, and has generally made him the prospect seen as most NFL-ready.

For the others, Miller notes, interest has “quieted down” considerably. He posits that Pickett being the only Day 1 signal-caller wouldn’t come as a surprise. Willis in particular has been involved in speculation surrounding QB-needy teams, including the Panthers, holders of the sixth-overall pick. Miller himself reported recently that Desmond Ridder could also find himself in the top-20.

With respect to the Steelers, Miller states that the team appears to prefer Pickett far more than any other prospect at the position. Pittsburgh devoted a great deal of time to scouting the top QB options, so such a stance would be rather telling. If Pickett isn’t available at No. 20, Miller reports, offensive tackle would become a position of interest.

While the overall view of the class seems to fading, Miller’s colleague Jordan Reid notes that the No. 32 pick (currently owned by the Lions) could be the target of a trade-up to land a passer. He details that Sam Howell is the name “to keep an eye on”; a team looking to secure a fifth-year option on his rookie contract could move up to the end of the first round, thus adding to the total number of QBs taken there.

Overall, the waters appear to be as muddied as ever as they pertain to this year’s prospects at the game’s most important position.

Colts Meet With QB Desmond Ridder

April 16th, 2022 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts acquired Matt Ryan and have said they plan to use him as their starter for at least the next two seasons, the duration of Ryan’s contract, but they continue to meet with top draft-eligible quarterbacks.

In addition to the Colts’ Malik Willis visit, they traveled to Cincinnati to meet with Desmond Ridder, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Ridder and various Bearcats receivers worked out for Colts brass Friday.

Indianapolis does not have a first-round pick this year, but the team does hold second- and third-round selections. The Colts’ second-round pick sits 42nd, five spots up thanks to the pick swap included in the Carson Wentz trade with the Commanders. That would put the Colts in play for a passer. Although the team has other needs and would make sense to be in play for a quarterback in 2023 or beyond, given the Ryan trade, Chris Ballard‘s staff is looking into this year’s QB group.

Mirroring the other quarterbacks in this much-maligned class, Ridder’s draft range varies. ESPN slots him as its No. 36 overall prospect; NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah does not rank the 6-foot-3 signal-caller inside his top 50. Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft has Ridder going 40th overall to the Seahawks. The Steelers, Seahawks and Panthers have met with Ridder.

Barring an offseason injury, Ryan will be the Colts’ sixth Week 1 QB starter in six years. Ryan’s post-trade cap number checks in at just $18.7MM, though his 2023 figure spikes to $35.2MM. Ballard said he will inform Ryan when the team plans to draft a quarterback highly. While the Colts diving into the first-round QB market in a later draft would be the more conventional path, is not out of the question that Ballard-Ryan conversation occurs this year.

Latest On Panthers QB Plans

April 16th, 2022 at 9:38am CST by Ben Levine

While the NFL’s quarterback carousel is just about complete, we still don’t have clarity on the Panthers’ QB position. Heading into the offseason, GM Scott Fitterer admitted that the quarterback job was “open,” but after losing out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, Fitterer walked back his remarks and stated that incumbent Sam Darnold was in the lead for the starting nod. Now, with the NFL Draft coming up at the end of the month, the organization still isn’t ruling out selecting a QB with the No. 6 pick.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the “consensus of the people in this league” is that the Panthers will ultimately select a QB in the upcoming draft, with Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett considered the favorites. While Albert Breer of SI.com agrees with the QB sentiment, he hasn’t heard as much buzz about Pickett, and “with jobs on the line this year,” the organization may play it safe by taking the most NFL-ready option. Besides Willis, Breer also points to Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder as options. Sam Howell and Bailey Zappe were also included in the team’s 30 allotted prospect visits.

We learned recently that a trade down is a real possibility, and that could ultimately open the door to the Panthers selecting a quarterback with their first-round pick. The popular sentiment has been that No. 6 is too early to select from this year’s crop of quarterbacks. However, a trade for a mid-first would be “more palatable” for the front office.

While the Panthers could look to a first-round QB, Darnold still believes he’s ready to compete for the starting gig. Following an inconsistent start to his career with the Jets, Darnold underwhelmed during his first season with the Panthers, guiding the team to a 4-7 record while tossing nine touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions.

“It’s truly whatever happens happens, because at the end of the day it’s out of my control, and I know that,” Darnold,said during a recent podcast appearance (via ESPN’s David Newton). “I have enough security in myself where I can say, ‘I know I’m a good quarterback. I know I can be a good quarterback in this league. I’ve proved it.’

“And I know there’s a team, if something happens, that would want me.”

Meanwhile, following whispers that the Panthers could be the most likely landing spot for Browns QB Baker Mayfield, Panthers receiver Robby Anderson made it pretty clear what his feelings were on the rumors. On Instagram, Anderson commented “Nooooo” under a picture connecting Mayfield to Carolina (h/t Brad Stainbrook of CBS Sports on Twitter).

Seahawks Hosting QB Desmond Ridder

April 13th, 2022 at 12:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Widely believed to be one of the few teams with at least some question marks surrounding their immediate quarterback future, the Seahawks are hosting their first draft prospect at the position. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (on Twitter) that Seattle is meeting with former Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder.

It came out earlier this week that Ridder would be visiting the Seahawks as part of a busy schedule in that regard. He has already met with the Steelers and Panthers, two teams which have made their desire for a new signal-caller well known. He is the only QB prospect, Pelissero notes though, who is known to have sat down with Seattle.

The Seahawks have Drew Lock as their starter at present, after acquiring him in the Russell Wilson trade. While head coach Pete Carroll has publicly backed the former second-rounder, he has also made clear the team’s desire to bring back veteran backup Geno Smith.

Ridder is coming off an historic four-year career with the Bearcats. He complied a 44-6 record, leading the program to the College Football Playoff for the first time in its history. His production and contribution to the team’s success has ranked him amongst the top passers in this year’s draft class. While the ninth overall pick (which the team added during the Wilson trade) is seen as too rich for Ridder, their next selection at No. 40 would likely represent solid value if he were to remain on the board that long.

Much of Ridder’s ultimate destination will be determined, of course, by the urgency with which teams select the likes of Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett and Sam Howell. If the Seahawks have the opportunity to select him, they will have done their due diligence in the build-up to this month’s draft.

Steelers Hosting Desmond Ridder

April 7th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Adam La Rose

As the Steelers’ work on this year’s quarterback draft class continues, the team is turning its attention to Cincinnati alum Desmond Ridder. Pittsburgh is hosting him for one of their top-30 visits today, as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link).

This marks the beginning of a busy stretch for Ridder; he is scheduled to meet with the Panthers and Seahawks next week, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Pittsburgh has long been touted as one of the teams most in need of a new franchise signal-caller, despite the signing of Mitch Trubisky. The team had a large presence at Ridder’s (and every other top QB’s) pro day.

The redshirt senior took Cincinnati to unprecedented heights during his time there. He helped the Bearcats become the first Group of 5 school to appear in the College Football Playoff, ultimately losing in the national semifinal. His career record of 44-6 ranks first in program history, and places him among the winningest college QBs of all time. He threw 87 touchdowns in four seasons, completing 62.1% of his passes.

Ridder has generally been ranked at least one tier below Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett in the build-up to this month’s draft. His stock may be on the rise, however, as ESPN’s Matt Miller tweets that Ridder has a chance to be a top-20 pick. Depending on how the rest of the board falls, that could place him directly into Pittsburgh’s range, since the Steelers hold the 20th selection.

Ridder isn’t the only QB Pittsburgh is meting with, not surprisingly. Rapoport adds (on Twitter) that UNC’s Sam Howell will visit on Friday. The latter is seen as a similarly-ranked prospect, and seems to have drawn attention from the Commanders and Saints among other teams. Whether the Steelers end up selecting either option or not, they will clearly have done their due diligence on the position.

Panthers To Meet With Kenny Pickett, Four Other Quarterbacks

April 5th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers will use next week to gather intel on the top quarterbacks from this draft class. In addition to their Malik Willis meeting, the Panthers will visit with Kenny Pickett and use four of their other top-30 prospect visits on QBs.

Pickett will join Matt Corral (Ole Miss), Sam Howell (North Carolina), Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) and Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) on “30” visits, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. These meetings will take place between Monday and Wednesday of next week in Charlotte.

Missing out on Deshaun Watson, Carolina has veteran options still. But the team has not expressed interest in Jimmy Garoppolo and is not believed to want Baker Mayfield. The team’s interest for a veteran could change, but Sam Darnold is under contract on an $18.9MM fifth-year option. An additional veteran would create an expensive QB room, and second-year GM Scott Fitterer discussed the benefits of having a rookie-deal quarterback on the payroll recently.

While Pickett — a former Matt Rhule Temple recruit who decommitted after Rhule’s Baylor departure — would require Carolina’s first-round pick, the rest of this crop is not on the top-10 radar. But the Panthers traded away their second- and third-round picks last year — in deals for Darnold and C.J. Henderson. This limits the team’s options, barring a trade-down effort in Round 1. As for the prospect of Pickett at No. 6, the Panthers were linked to the Pittsburgh passer after the Senior Bowl.

Scouts Inc. ranks Corral and Ridder as the Nos. 34 and 36 overall prospects, respectively, while slotting Howell 50th. Zappe, who played in a pass-crazed system in his only Division I season and broke Joe Burrow‘s touchdown pass record by compiling 62 for the Hilltoppers, profiles as a Day 3 prospect, ranking 139th.

Panthers’ Plans At Quarterback

March 26th, 2022 at 9:52pm CST by Ely Allen

After losing out on the Deshaun Watson-sweepstakes, the Panthers have maintained that they still intend to add another quarterback to the roster, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. In a press conference covered by Shook and Joseph Person of The Athletic, general manager Scott Fitterer laid out the team’s plans moving forward.

Answering the obvious question, quarterbacks Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker are still under contract and will be afforded every opportunity to earn the starting job moving forward. The issue there lies in the fact that they’ve already been given such an opportunity and the question of future quarterback is still being asked as a result. Fitterer did inform reporters that head coach Matt Rhule had talked with a free agent signing from last year, Cam Newton. On the matter, Fitterer said, “The thing with Cam, it’s gotta be a fit for us and it’s gotta be a fit for him, just as well. He’s looking for a certain opportunity. The door’s still open for us.”

The free agent quarterback market really cleared out after Watson’s trade to Cleveland. There are still some NFL-experienced options in the trade market, though. As of now, Fitterer asserts that they haven’t heard from San Francisco or Cleveland about Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield. Since phones tend to have the ability to both send AND receive calls, it stands to reason that the Panthers not reaching out to initiate conversations over the available quarterbacks is a reflection of their level of interest. Still, Fitterer claims that they are open to receiving calls from the 49ers or Browns. They do have the luxury of waiting, possibly even until after the Draft, as there doesn’t seem to be any urgent interest in Garoppolo or Mayfield.

The most likely path, and the one most desired by Fitterer, is through the 2022 NFL Draft. Rhule and Fitterer were in attendance for Kenny Pickett’s pro day workout at Pitt and Malik Willis’ workout at Liberty. Rhule went to Mississippi’s pro day to watch Matt Corral. The only reason they didn’t go the Cincinnati to watch Desmond Ridder is because they already worked extensively with the Bearcat quarterback at the Senior Bowl and Combine. They still sent a scout and two personnel executives, though.

Suffice it to say that the Panthers have made it extremely clear that they are taking a good look at this year’s quarterback class. With the sixth pick in the first round of the Draft, Carolina could very likely take a quarterback and very well may the first team to do so, giving them their pick of the litter.

Fitterer preached a philosophy of building a team around a young quarterback on a reasonably low contract, like the Seahawks did with Russell Wilson during Fitterer’s tenure in Seattle. The only issue with this philosophy is that Rhule’s seat is getting hotter with each loss. He may not feel he has the leash to develop a young quarterback surrounded by veterans. If Rhule feels like he’s in a win-now scenario, he may push for the team to trade for one of the more proven assets like Garoppolo or Mayfield.

The route that ends up getting taken in Carolina will likely say a lot about the alignment of Rhule and Fitterer, who arrived one year after the head coach. If the team makes a move to trade for a league veteran, Fitterer likely wants to give Rhule the tools to keep his job. If the teams sits pat and waits until the Draft to address the position, it could be assumed that Fitterer is willing to let Rhule test his luck in order to build a team around his own philosophy.

Cinci’s Desmond Ridder Declares For Draft

January 8th, 2022 at 8:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Quarterback Desmond Ridder said goodbye to his home of the past 5 years with a video posted to his Twitter account last night. While it seems obvious that a red-shirt senior is headed to the 2022 NFL Draft, because of the COVID-shortened season, Ridder had the option to return for a sixth year.

In an early mock draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay had Ridder as the fourth quarterback off the board and the 19th overall pick in the first round. The Kentucky native isn’t considered a consensus first-round pick, but he is consistently ranked as one of the 6 quarterbacks in the top-tier with Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh), Matt Corral (Mississippi), Sam Howell (North Carolina), Malik Willis (Liberty), and Carson Strong (Nevada).

As a three-star recruit out of St. Xavier in Louisville, Ridder chose Cincinnati over Eastern Kentucky and went on to amass a starting record for the Bearcats of 44-6. Ridder and his teammates did what most assumed was impossible when they became the first Group of 5 program to qualify for the 2022 College Football Playoff.

Ridder and cornerback Ahmad Gardner are striving to become the first Bearcats taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since defensive lineman Bob Bell was taken 21st overall in 1971. Regardless, Ridder has certainly made a name for himself as the University of Cincinnati’s winningest quarterback of all time, ranking 3rd overall in the statistic for all college football with his 44 wins trailing only Boise State’s Kellen Moore (50) and Texas’s Colt McCoy (45).

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