With the Arizona Cardinals needing a backup quarterback to franchise cornerstone Kyler Murray this offseason, the NFC West club traded for Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Desmond Ridder. Arizona sent former second-round receiver Rondale Moore to Atlanta for Ridder, solidifying their backup quarterback position, or at least that was the plan. However, on Tuesday, the Cardinals waived Ridder ahead of the NFL’s roster cut deadline.
The Cardinals will presumably return to the drawing board while seeking another passer via the waiver wire. Following the release of Ridder, fans were quick to rip Ridder and the Cardinals for their uninspiring and lackluster tenure together.
Arizona Cardinals: Release QB Desmond Ridder
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Arizona Cardinals have released quarterback Desmond Ridder, who competed with fellow passer Clayton Tune for the backup position.
Source: The #AZCardinals are releasing QB Desmond Ridder, who was in a backup battle with Clayton Tune.
Ridder appeared in all three preseasons with the Cardinals in 2024, going 20-of-35 for 225 yards. He did not throw an interception or touchdown while rushing seven times for 63 yards. Meanwhile, his main competition, Clayton Tune, went 35-of-52 for 355 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. As a rookie, Tune owned a 22.6 quarterback rating in 2023, while Ridder posted an 83.4 rating in his final season with the Atlanta Falcons.
Cardinals devotees and NFL fans quickly jumped on Ridder for his failed five-month stint with the Red Birds. In the wake of Ridder’s dismissal, the Cardinals essentially traded longtime starting wide receiver Rondale Moore for nothing, with many fans sharing their thoughts on Twitter (also known as X):
Congrats on your future profession Desmond Ridder pic.twitter.com/JOcfJraYtK https://t.co/ya7NkU4cqp
— Chase King (@CKSportsss) August 27, 2024
Never forget when Desmond Ridder said this after being drafted by the Falcons 😭 pic.twitter.com/5W9swM4RNC
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) August 27, 2024
It just baffles my mind that last season a sector of the Falcons fanbase decided they would talk crazy in the name of "Desmond Ridder" https://t.co/1iakCix1Yz
— K (@projectjax) August 27, 2024
doordash hearing desmond ridder is a free agent again: pic.twitter.com/nQdmtltmsl https://t.co/CyLGPUBHyz
— 𝔁𝓸 – 𝓬𝓸 (@R3alGoon) August 27, 2024
Desmond Ridder just got beat in camp by a guy who put up this statline in his only NFL start ever, Arthur Smith might need to join the worst coaches OAT list for insisting as bad of a QB as Ridder was a starter https://t.co/bxEM03dAQn pic.twitter.com/ce8o1k75LH
— HCF🌊 (@McDuffie2Heaven) August 27, 2024
Who in doordash’s marketing department decided that Desmond Ridder was the QB to target for a sponsor https://t.co/RWd0GzlgUG
— Sam (@SamsHoops) August 27, 2024
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