Well, it was bound to happen. Didn’t know when but it was going to happen. And now with the NFL Combine upon us and the Falcons looking at prospects, Quarterback Marcus Mariota was released yesterday.
There is only one current quarterback on the Falcons roster as of yesterday, and he is the prospected starter for game one when the season opens in September. Desmond Ridder will start, and I believe the team will bring in a veteran quarterback to back Ridder up. Now that’s not to say the Falcons do not pick a QB in this year’s draft, but that QB will not be the team’s #2 QB.
There is also speculation that the Falcons are going to give the bank away for free agent Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. I say no to this deal and continue to say no to this deal. Ridder showed last year in the last four games he can take control of this offense and the Falcons need to build around him, which will make him better.
For anyone of us that thought Mariota was going to come in here and light it up and be the replacement for QB Matt Ryan were fooled. Well, I was fooled. There was a slim part in the back of my mind that thought it could happen, and boy did it crash after game one of last year.
I would love to see Matt Ryan sign back with the team knowing he would be the backup and mentor Ridder. Ryan has always loved the Falcons but was just in a business deal that was sour that sent him to the Colts last year. Don’t think this would happen because he is still on the Colts roster as their QB1, but stranger things have happened. But I also believe Ryan thinks he can still be a QB1, unless he feels father time kicking in this offseason.
Time will only tell what happens with the Falcons QB position. But the team is looking for the steady QB1 to replace Ryan and they think they have it in Ridder. It’s his position to lose. Mariota was never the answer, he was a stopgap.
FOR MORE GREAT SPORTS CONTENT
Follow me on Twitter @markkirkley for more sports conversation and read more of my stories at kirkleysportskorner.net
Kirkley's Sports Korner 