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Marcus Mariota Named Falcons' Starting QB over Desmond Ridder at Start of Camp
Jul 27, 2022
FLOWERY BRANCH, GA - JULY 27: Marcus Mariota #1 of Atlanta Falcons passes during a training camp practice on July 27, 2022 in Flowery Branch, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
It didn't take long into training camp for Marcus Mariota to establish himself as the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons.
"Obviously, we've got a plan for each of them. Marcus is the starter," quarterbacks coach Charles London said when discussing Mariota and rookie Desmond Ridder after the initial practice of training camp on Wednesday, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "That’s how we're going into this thing."
London continued, saying "I expect those guys to compete. Right now, Marcus is the starter, and he's doing a great job."
Mariota signed a two-year, $18.75 million deal with the Falcons this offseason and immediately became the presumed starter since they also traded Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts.
However, it was fair to wonder if his starting job was in jeopardy when the NFC South team selected Cincinnati's Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Ridder helped the Bearcats become the first Group of Five conference team to reach the College Football Playoff this past season when he completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding 355 yards and six scores on the ground.
While Ridder's ceiling is certainly high and he may ultimately get an opportunity down the road, he can't match Mariota's experience at this point.
The Oregon product first became a household name when he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Ducks to the CFP national championship game. The Tennessee Titans then selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft and made him a starter during his rookie season.
Mariota started 61 games for the Titans during the next five seasons and even guided the team to a playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2017 campaign. He threw for more than 3,000 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017.
However, he was just a backup with the Las Vegas Raiders the past two years and has not started a game since losing his starting job to Ryan Tannehill in 2019.
At his best, Mariota can make plays with both his legs and his arm, and he will surely rely on tight end Kyle Pitts and rookie wide receiver Drake London while looking to lead the Falcons to a quick start this season.
If that quick start never comes, Ridder will be waiting in the wings.
Marcus Mariota Seems to Be 'Far Ahead' of Desmond Ridder as Falcons' Starting QB
Jun 30, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 09: Alohi Gilman #32 of the Los Angeles Chargers tackles Marcus Mariota #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
A quarterback controversy does not appear to be brewing in Atlanta.
Michael Rothstein of ESPN reported Marcus Mariota is "far ahead" of third-round pick Desmond Ridder in the competition. Rothstein gave Ridder just a 5 percent chance of starting under center in Week 1.
This should come as no surprise, given it's rare for a third-round quarterback to be thrust into the starting lineup early in the season. The last quarterback taken in the third round to start in Week 1 was Russell Wilson a decade ago. The history of successes for third-round quarterbacks is minimal.
Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills showed potential after being taken in Round 3 a year ago, but the 2022 quarterback class is considered inferior to its predecessor, and only one signal-caller was taken in the first two rounds.
Ridder showed promise at Cincinnati but was bound to be more of a project quarterback than a plug-and-play option.
Mariota, who is slated to replace longtime Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan under center, has reportedly been impressive during the team's offseason training program. He also had familiarity with head coach Arthur Smith after the pair shared time with the Tennessee Titans from 2015 to 2019.
"You just watch his play and body language,” Smith told reporters of Mariota's comfort in the offense. “Especially when you've been around a guy for a long time and there's certain mannerisms. He does feel comfortable and that's good especially this time of year as we crank it up and get into the preseason and more competitive practices. Hopefully, that stays the same."
The Falcons are expected to be among the worst teams in football next season, so Ridder could get a chance if they don't outperform expectations. That said, his chance to start likely won't come until Mariota suffers an injury or the Falcons' season falls apart.
