ATLANTA — Who will be QB1 for the Atlanta Falcons? That's the big question this offseason after Atlanta traded away longtime QB1 Matt Ryan, and then brought in Marcus Mariota, with an expectation he would be their bridge starter.
But then the Falcons sat back in the draft and scooped up Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati, a quarterback who had first round and definitely second round buzz heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.
On the ATL Day Ones podcast with Jarvis Davis and Tenitra Batiste, they discuss recent conversations around Ridder and Mariota in regards to the starting job.
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"A lot of people have asked a lot of questions about Marcus Mariota, being a mentor to Desmond Ridder," Co-host Jarvis Davis said on the show. "But I think Ridder may have more in mind as he’s coming into this organization, and it might not be mentee, I think it might be QB1.”
With comments from Mariota saying he plans to mentor Ridder for the next two years (that Mariota is under contract for), co-host Tenitra Batiste said she admires his character, comparing it to an opposite situation in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis. But at the same time, Batiste said Ridder is coming for that job.
“In this situation, it’s great for you to think that and feel that way Marcus Mariota, but you better also think of yourself as a competitor because that guy you’re mentoring is definitely coming for you," Batiste said.
“We have to understand what this is, it’s a competition," Davis said. "With Ridder, I asked him about that, he said he respects Marcus Mariota, but at the end of the day, these guys are competing."
Catch the full episode of ATL Day Ones on the Locked On Atlanta Sports YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcasts!