QB Desmond Ridder takes advantage of the Raiders' chance

HENDERSON, Nev. – Desmond Ridder, already on his third team in less than a year, choked up and fought back tears in the Las Vegas Raiders locker room Wednesday afternoon.

Less than 48 hours earlier, Ridder was released from the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. When asked if he had a chip on his shoulder about the opportunity, he thought about his three-year-old daughter.

“Dad, where are you going?'” Ridder remembered her asking, his eyes glittering.

“I think, 'I have to go to Las Vegas.'”

Ridder, a third-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons at No. 74 in the 2022 draft, has caught on.

“I do everything for her,” he said. “I do everything for my family. So this is just another opportunity to go out and prove to them, to myself, to everyone, that I can be out here and do this.”

Expectations may have been high in Atlanta, as Ridder was the second of nine quarterbacks selected over two years ago before being traded to the Cardinals in March.

They're more subdued in Las Vegas, with Ridder joining the Raiders after Aidan O'Connell suffered a broken thumb on his right passing hand, and Gardner Minshew responsible for four turnovers in Sunday's 20-15 loss at Los Angeles was Angeles Rams.

For one thing, Ridder is just getting to know the Raiders' offensive system.

For another, while Ridder will be the Raiders' No. 2 quarterback against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, there's no guarantee he'll see the field.

However, if Minshew gets off to another slow, turnover-filled start, fans will be waiting for a change.

Ridder has a supporter in the Raiders' locker room: receiver Tre Tucker, his college teammate at Cincinnati. He eventually leaves Ridder at his home until he gets adjusted, and Tucker said he, too, is emotional about seeing his old quarterback.

“(He's) a guy that set all kinds of records in college, the best quarterback to come through there in Cincy and all the things we did there and got drafted and kind of went through his whole situation, that “I really had for him,” Tucker said. “He’s long but athletic and can move and run. I think that's one of his best skills and of course a good feel for the ball. Good accuracy and all that stuff.”

Ridder, who said the Raiders' scheme is similar to the one he played in with the Falcons and Cardinals, is 8-9 as a starter with 19 career NFL appearances, all with Atlanta.

He passed for 3,544 yards while completing 64.0% of his throws, with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

“It's great to have Des there while Aidan is in turmoil,” said Minshew, who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown as the Rams tied for the league lead with Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis in case of ball losses (10).

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Ridder's situation as a young starter was similar to O'Connell's last season, and that Ridder was “just being himself” in his first week in Las Vegas.

“I don't think he's trying to put any pressure on us, and we're not asking him to put any pressure on him, to go in and be the starting quarterback and help us turn things around,” Pierce said. “He’s just a piece of the puzzle for us and I think he does a good job in the room. He has a good attitude and presence.”

“Very confident player, sharp and, to be honest, he's trying hard to learn the playbook as quickly as possible.”

Ridder already knows all about the team's following.

“One of the best fan bases, from Oakland to Vegas, they come and show up,” he said. “That's really what I'm looking forward to, getting out there on Sunday and really seeing the Black Hole, seeing what it's really about. So it will be fun. But this team, I know this team fights week in and week out, always in a game, never out, and that's (also) what I'm looking forward to.

“I just come in here, feel it, and when my time is right, then we're ready to go… every single day I just come in here and try to improve myself mentally, physically and emotionally.” And I just try, to be a better person and a better teammate.