Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke were both cut ahead of Tuesday’s roster deadline.
They say hindsight is 20/20, and the Atlanta Falcons can certainly attest to this after some of their questionable decisions in recent years. Just two years ago, the team went into the season with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke as their top two quarterbacks.
On Tuesday, both players were released by their respective teams. Ridder was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals after an up-and-down preseason, and Heinicke was released by the Los Angeles Chargers one year after being traded from Atlanta.
Neither player was ever thought to be a franchise quarterback, but former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith got many fans to buy in on Ridder once upon a time. The former third-round pick didn’t get his first taste of NFL action until late in his rookie season.
Ridder was named the team’s starter in 2023, but was benched multiple times due to inconsistent play and poor ball security. Heinicke didn’t fare much better, and when the season was over, it was clear neither player was the team’s long-term answer at quarterback.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor actually recruited Ridder to the University of Cincinnati when he was the Bearcats offensive coordinator in 2016, so when the two linked up again, it seemed to a perfect fit. However, Ridder struggled in the team’s preseason finale and now finds himself out of a job once again.
As for Heinicke, his release was somewhat surprising. He was never a threat to starter Justin Herbert, but his experience starting in the league makes him a decent backup option. However, when cut day rolled around, the Chargers went with former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance as their No. 2 quarterback.
This leaves both Ridder and Heinicke out of work one week before the start of the 2025 NFL season. The Falcons appear to be set at quarterback with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins on the roster. We’ll have to wait and see if either former Falcons QB gets another chance this season.