According to a report from the NFL Network, the Minnesota Vikings are signing former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder to their 53-man roster. The Vikings not only lost their Week 2 matchup against the Falcons, but they lost starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a high ankle sprain.
McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, is expected to miss the next two-to-four weeks. While the former top-10 pick avoided the injured reserve list, Minnesota brought in Ridder for some extra depth at the quarterback position. However, Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings in Week 3.
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Ridder, 26, has appeared in 25 NFL games with 18 starts since entering the league in 2022. The Falcons selected the former Cincinnati standout in the third round of the 2022 draft. After appearing in four games during his rookie season, Ridder started 13 games for Atlanta in 2023.
The Falcons benched Ridder due to his turnover issues –12 interceptions and 12 fumbles in 2023 — and traded him to the Arizona Cardinals after the season. Ridder was later released by Arizona and signed by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Ridder over the 2025 offseason, but he did not make the 53-man roster out of training camp. Now, he gets another chance, this time for a head coach known for reviving the careers of failed quarterbacks. Over his three NFL seasons, Ridder has passed for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
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This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons QB Desmond Ridder signed by Vikings