The Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith disclosed a surprising reason behind the team’s decision to snub former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson in favor of Desmond Ridder as their QB.
Jackson earlier disclosed requesting a trade from the Baltimore Ravens in March and the team responded to it by placing a non-exclusive tag on their veteran QB, allowing other teams to negotiate with the 26-year-old, albeit both parties have time till 17 July to conclude a multi-year extension.
Why did the Falcons coach choose Desmond Ridder instead of Lamar Jackson?
During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, the Falcons’ head coach Arthur Smith provided his explanation of why the team has decided to pass on Jackson in favor of Desmond Ridder as their quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Smith went on to praise Ridder’s athleticism, composure, and teamwork, noting he has the potential to become a standout quarterback in the NFL.
Yes, the @AtlantaFalcons talked about Lamar Jackson but as Arthur Smith told us, they're confident in their plan going forward with Desmond Ridder:#NFL #NFLFreeAgency #NFLDraft @Lj_era8 @desmondridder #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/vccKL8pKdW
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 31, 2023
“He won a lot of games in college and helped Luke Fickell at Cincinnati really change the whole culture of that program. And I certainly think that experience, you start that many games coming in helps, we certainly saw that early on as we threw everything we could at him. And he was impressive, and we felt that he was ready to take over at that time of the season, and I thought he did a nice job. Cool, collected under pressure”, Smith stated.
While Jackson is widely recognized as a top-tier quarterback in the NFL, the Falcons coach acknowledged his value citing he would make decisions that are going to benefit his team as a whole.
“With those transactions, where you’re willing to spend in the salary cap, and there’s great debates, certainly makes your shows more interesting, and that’s great for the league, but at the end of the day you’ve got to do what you think is best for your team and what you’re building and how it fits into that puzzle,” he further added.
The second-year QB Desmond Ridder looks hardly promising as in his four games, the 23-year-old completed 63.4 percent of passes for 708 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions, albeit the coach might foresee his athleticism and couldn’t halt back from keeping him in the roster.
Only time will tell if the Falcons’ decision of handing over keys to the offense to a new talent will pay off in the long run, however, fans will eagerly await to see their favorite team shining brightly on the field.
Do you think it was a wise decision by the Falcons? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
