Desmond Ridder, the former Cincinnati Bearcat quarterback, is making a return to his roots by signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. This development marks the beginning of his bid to secure a spot as the backup to Joe Burrow for the upcoming NFL season, as reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The third-round draft pick from 2022 is set to don the Bengals’ colors after an eventful college career at Cincinnati, where he was recruited by Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during Ridder’s freshman year.
Former #Falcons starting QB Desmond Ridder is signing with the #Bengals, per source. Some experienced competition behind Joe Burrow. pic.twitter.com/1cbWPCTV2W
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 20, 2025
In the Bengals’ quarterback lineup, Ridder will compete alongside Burrow, Jake Browning, and undrafted free agent Payton Thorne from Auburn. Browning, who stepped in as the starter when Burrow was sidelined by injury in 2023, is likely to maintain his position as the primary backup. Ridder will be vying for the third-string slot against contenders like Logan Woodside and rookie Thorne.
Prior to the 2024 season, Ridder found himself released by the Cardinals before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he played in six games, starting one. His stats for that season included 458 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Throughout his career, he has maintained a completion rate of 63.6%, accumulating 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Desmond Ridder’s Challenges in Atlanta
Ridder was selected as the second quarterback in the 2022 draft, going 74th overall to the Atlanta Falcons. However, his time with the Falcons was short-lived.
Over his career with Atlanta, he participated in 19 games, starting 17 of them. During this period, he threw for 3,544 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he also faced challenges, with 12 interceptions. His record as a starter in Atlanta stood at 8-9.
In a notable move prior to the 2024 season, the Falcons traded Ridder to the Cardinals in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore.
