The Atlanta Falcons are sending QB Desmond Ridder, a former third-round pick to Arizona in exchange for WR Rondale Moore.
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ATLANTA, GA– The Atlanta Falcons are going all in on new quarterback Kirk Cousins by adding wide receiver Rondale Moore alongside Kyle Pitts and Drake London. The team will send former 2022 third-round draft pick Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals in a player swap for Moore, a speedy receiver to complete a solid offensive stash of firepower for Cousins.
Ridder entered 2023 as the Falcons starter after the team made it clear they were to move on from Marcus Mariota. Hoping for even a semblance of calmness at the quarterback position, the Falcons got everything but that. Ridder shined at times but ultimately made more mistakes than progress– he was benched for backup Taylor Heinicke at times.
Ridder, in 17 starts went 8-9, completed 64% of passes, with 14 touchdowns paired alongside 12 interceptions. Atlanta decided these were mediocre stats at best and decided to make a huge splash in free agency signing former Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins instead. 2023 was seen as a make-or-break year for Ridder, who didn’t do enough to maintain his job in Atlanta.
The team had been looking for a franchise quarterback since the Matt Ryan era, something that has been up in the air for quite some time. However, Ridder will now get a second chance in Arizona, with the Kyler Murray experiment growing thin on patience. The team has struggled as of late with Murray at the helm and could be looking for a cheap option and insurance in case Murray doesn’t fit the bill.
Being a third round pick amongst a relatively weak quarterback draft class means that Ridder’s move comes at a low cost for the Cardinals, who are surely in rebuild mode after an abysmal year.
Moore on the other hand burst onto the scene as a speedy, yet useful receiver. His initial season was productive, with 54 catches and 435 yards, but hasn’t been able to reach the same level of production in recent years. Now, he will be able to bolster and add depth to a receiver room and offense that is gearing up for a huge playoff push– if not Super Bowl. Moore will join Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Cousins in a start-studded offense that’s success or bust.
The Falcons were able to get rid of their expendable quarterback for a player they needed, saving money while doing so. The Falcons also signed Darnell Mooney, former Bears WR to help out on the offense. The changes are all at the helm of newly-minted head coach Raheem Morris who wants to instill his own personnel.
The deal ends up being a home-run for Atlanta who was able to rid themselves of a player they would’ve taken pennies on the dollar for, which usually comes in the form of a late-round draft pick. Instead, they went out and found a suitor that was willing to give them exactly what they needed– more firepower.
Atlanta had been upset about their quarterback situation for a while, and now have finally managed to fix it. With Cousins, they can be sure that Moore gets more targets and usability– the allure of Mooney and London will draw most of the attention of opposing defenses, allowing the quick Moore to make inroads on his productivity.
At the end of the day, the Falcons got exactly what they wanted while the Cardinals are still trying to figure out their quarterback situation. As of now, Arizona has three quarterbacks on their roster: Kyler Murray, Desmond Ridder, and 2023 fifth-round pick Clayton Tune.
