Total Pro Sports
Former Cincinnati Bearcat quarterback Desmond Ridder is signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, and now enters the competition to become Joe Burrow’s backup this season, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The former third-round selection played his college football at Cincinnati and will now head back to play professionally for the Bengals.
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
Ridder was actually recruited to the University of Cincinnati by Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who served as the Bearcats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for one season in 2016.
Ridder joins a quarterback room headlined by Burrow, but also includes Jake Browning and undrafted free agent Payton Thorne out of Auburn.
Browning, who succeeded as a starter when Burrow went down with injury in 2023, is on track to serve as Burrow’s main backup again this season. Ridder will most likely compete for the third-string role with players such as Logan Woodside and incoming rookie Payton Thorne.
Before the 2024 season began, Desmond Ridder was cut by the Cardinals. He later signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and played in six games, starting one. He threw for 458 yards, two interceptions, and two touchdowns.
In his career, he has completed 63.6% of his passes, for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Ridder was the second quarterback drafted in the 2022 draft, taken 74th overall by the Atlanta Falcons.
However, his stint with the team that drafted him was brief.
He appeared in only 19 games, with 17 starts, throwing for 3,544 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was also intercepted 12 times. Over two seasons, Ridder went 8-9 as the starter in Atlanta.
In the lead-up to the 2024 campaign, the Falcons traded Ridder to Arizona in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore.
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