The Falcons have released Marcus Mariota, as expected. That leaves Desmond Ridder alone as the team's prospective 2023 starting quarterback. Ridder started the last four games of the 2022 season for Atlanta, going 2-2. Will he be the answer at quarterback?
Ridder, of course, was one of three passers selected in the third round of last year's draft, along with Malik Willis (Tennessee) and Matt Corral (Carolina). Further free agent moves might leave those players as default starters, with the Titans potentially releasing Ryan Tannehill and Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker both in need of new contracts for the Panthers.
But of the three, it's only Ridder who seems particularly likely to be a Week 1 starter next fall. He'll be beating pretty long odds if he goes on to be a franchise quarterback.
It used to happen for third-rounders a little more often. Joe Montana, famously, was a third round pick, and so was another of my favorite quarterbacks growing up, Dan Fouts. Super Bowl quarterback Ken Anderson and former Packers pro bowler Lynn Dickey, too. But usually good quarterbacks don't slip to that round. In recent years there's Russell Wilson, and not much else.
Table below shows all the top-20 fantasy seasons since 1990 from quarterbacks selected in the third round. Montana has one of best of them, while two other players account for the vast majority of the best seasons: Wilson, and former Giant and Raider Jeff Hostetler.
Otherwise, a whole lot of journeyman quarterbacks who maybe had a good season or two, like Matt Schaub, Chris Chandler and Neil O'Donnell. Not many stars. Ridder, Willis or Corral would be beating the odds to be the next Wilson.
THIRD-ROUND QBS PUTTING UP TOP-20 SEASONS, 1990-PRESENT | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Cmp | Att | Pass | TD | Int | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk |
2017 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 339 | 553 | 3983 | 34 | 11 | 586 | 3 | 415.8 | 1 |
2009 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 396 | 583 | 4770 | 29 | 15 | 57 | 0 | 362.2 | 3 |
1990 | Joe Montana, S.F. | 321 | 520 | 3944 | 26 | 16 | 162 | 1 | 323.4 | 3 |
2015 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 329 | 483 | 4024 | 34 | 8 | 553 | 1 | 398.5 | 4 |
2019 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 341 | 516 | 4110 | 31 | 5 | 342 | 3 | 383.7 | 5 |
1993 | Jeff Hostetler, Oak. | 236 | 419 | 3242 | 14 | 10 | 202 | 5 | 268.3 | 5 |
2020 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 384 | 558 | 4212 | 40 | 13 | 513 | 2 | 435.9 | 6 |
2014 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 285 | 452 | 3475 | 20 | 7 | 849 | 6 | 379.4 | 6 |
2010 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 365 | 574 | 4370 | 24 | 12 | 28 | 0 | 319.3 | 8 |
1998 | Chris Chandler, Atl. | 190 | 327 | 3154 | 25 | 12 | 121 | 2 | 285.0 | 9 |
1996 | Jeff Hostetler, Oak. | 242 | 402 | 2548 | 23 | 14 | 179 | 1 | 243.3 | 9 |
1994 | Jeff Hostetler, Oak. | 263 | 455 | 3334 | 20 | 16 | 159 | 2 | 274.6 | 9 |
2013 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 257 | 407 | 3357 | 26 | 9 | 539 | 1 | 331.8 | 10 |
2016 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 353 | 546 | 4219 | 21 | 11 | 259 | 1 | 338.3 | 11 |
2012 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 252 | 393 | 3118 | 26 | 10 | 489 | 4 | 334.8 | 11 |
2018 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 280 | 427 | 3448 | 35 | 7 | 376 | 0 | 351.9 | 12 |
1993 | Neil O'Donnell, Pitt. | 270 | 486 | 3208 | 14 | 7 | 111 | 0 | 227.5 | 12 |
1992 | Chris Chandler, Ariz. | 245 | 413 | 2832 | 15 | 15 | 149 | 1 | 222.5 | 12 |
1994 | Joe Montana, K.C. | 299 | 493 | 3283 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 231.9 | 13 |
1991 | Hugh Millen, N.E. | 246 | 409 | 3073 | 9 | 18 | 92 | 1 | 204.9 | 13 |
1990 | Jay Schroeder, Oak. | 182 | 334 | 2849 | 19 | 9 | 81 | 0 | 226.6 | 13 |
2022 | Russell Wilson, Den. | 292 | 483 | 3524 | 16 | 11 | 277 | 3 | 287.0 | 14 |
1999 | Brian Griese, Den. | 261 | 452 | 3032 | 14 | 14 | 138 | 2 | 233.4 | 15 |
1991 | Jay Schroeder, Oak. | 189 | 357 | 2562 | 15 | 16 | 76 | 0 | 195.7 | 15 |
1990 | Bubby Brister, Pitt. | 223 | 387 | 2725 | 20 | 14 | 64 | 0 | 222.7 | 15 |
2001 | Brian Griese, Den. | 275 | 451 | 2827 | 23 | 19 | 173 | 1 | 261.1 | 16 |
2000 | Brian Griese, Den. | 216 | 336 | 2688 | 19 | 4 | 102 | 1 | 228.6 | 16 |
2013 | Nick Foles, Phil. | 203 | 317 | 2891 | 27 | 2 | 221 | 3 | 296.7 | 17 |
1997 | Chris Chandler, Atl. | 202 | 342 | 2692 | 20 | 7 | 158 | 0 | 230.4 | 17 |
1992 | Neil O'Donnell, Pitt. | 185 | 313 | 2283 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 172.7 | 17 |
1993 | Joe Montana, K.C. | 181 | 298 | 2144 | 13 | 7 | 64 | 0 | 165.6 | 18 |
2022 | Davis Mills, Hou. | 292 | 479 | 3118 | 17 | 15 | 108 | 2 | 248.7 | 19 |
2012 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 350 | 544 | 4008 | 22 | 12 | -9 | 0 | 289.9 | 19 |
1999 | Chris Chandler, Atl. | 174 | 307 | 2339 | 16 | 11 | 57 | 1 | 192.7 | 19 |
2021 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 259 | 400 | 3113 | 25 | 6 | 183 | 2 | 288.0 | 20 |
2002 | Brian Griese, Den. | 291 | 436 | 3214 | 15 | 15 | 107 | 1 | 237.4 | 20 |
1997 | Neil O'Donnell, NYJ | 259 | 460 | 2796 | 17 | 7 | 36 | 1 | 217.4 | 20 |
1994 | Neil O'Donnell, Pitt. | 212 | 370 | 2443 | 13 | 9 | 80 | 1 | 188.2 | 20 |
1993 | Bubby Brister, Phil. | 181 | 309 | 1905 | 14 | 5 | 39 | 0 | 155.2 | 20 |
--Andy Richardson