Falcons rookie Desmond Ridder put on an exciting performance against the Lions in his preseason debut. Entering the game in the second quarter, Ridder finished 10-of-22 for 103 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while also leading the team with six carries for 59 yards. He threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jared Bernhardt on fourth-and-9 with 1:30 remaining to give the Falcons a 27-23 victory. He certainly impressed me and other Falcons fans, but former All-Pro Dez Bryant took to Twitter to shower the former Cincinnati Bearcat with praise.
Ridder is going to be dangerous as he build through his career… whenever his game match his confidence he’s going to be a problem.. It’s all apart of the process
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 12, 2022
You couldn’t have thrown a better ball ridder… wow!
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 12, 2022
Bryant isn’t necessarily the most reputable former athlete when giving his vote of confidence in young players, but he’s still a multiple-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro. His words carry some weight. And it’s not the first time he’s complimented the Falcons rookie.
Bryant mentioned he doesn’t believe the organization trusts Marcus Mariota, given the Falcons front office selected Ridder in the third round. I don’t exactly share those same thoughts. Mariota is the obvious bridge quarterback to the eventual franchise signal caller in Ridder. Bryant added that he feels the Falcons rookie can read the field better and won’t fold in high-pressure situations. Again, I beg to differ. Ridder’s ceiling is undoubtedly higher because he’s younger, but I wouldn’t exactly start calling for Mariota’s job like Dez Bryant.
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