Falcons Twitter reacts to Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder’s comments

After a third straight 7-10 finish in 2023, the Atlanta Falcons swapped out head coach Arthur Smith for Raheem Morris and signed free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal. The team later traded quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Rondale Moore.

While most felt the changes were needed, Smith might still be in Atlanta if he had a better plan at quarterback. Smith bet the season and eventually his job on Ridder. The former third-round pick started 13 games last season, passing for 2,836 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Ridder’s biggest problem was holding onto the football. He fumbled 12 times, seven of which resulted in Falcons turnovers. The 24-year-old is looking for a fresh start and hopes to adopt a different mindset in Arizona.

“One thing I wanna improve is just going out there playing free,” Ridder told ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “A lot of the times I felt like I was playing not to mess it up, not to screw it up. And so just to be able to go out there, play free, play loose, play within the system. And then there were a lot of good things that I did on film and then there were some bad things.”