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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have two quarterbacks on the roster for next season, a new coaching staff and a lot of questions at the position, but new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson made one thing clear: The team is starting the process to figure out what the plan is at quarterback.
“Whether it’s a pocket guy, whether it’s a guy that can move around a little bit, we’re just looking for the best guy that we can do,” Robinson said during his introductory news conference Wednesday. “Certainly know the guys that are here, we’re evaluating everybody, so Taylor [Heinicke] and Desmond [Ridder], we’re looking at those guys.
“All options are on the table.”
It’s part of the adjustment for 37-year-old Robinson, a first-time NFL offensive coordinator who has been around the league for a while. After a college career at Oklahoma State, he spent time as a player with four NFL teams before going into private quarterback coaching, then working with analytics service Pro Football Focus before joining the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff in 2019.
He worked in Los Angeles with Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield – learning how to coach the position he once played. So when it comes to what type of quarterback he wants, Robinson has an open mind.
The Falcons are deciding whether to stick with Heinicke and Ridder or to find a new quarterback via the draft, in free agency or through a trade. At his introductory news conference earlier this month, new head coach Raheem Morris said the team would look at all three avenues.
Team owner Arthur Blank has criticized the team’s quarterback play from 2023, calling it “deficient.”
So, what might Robinson look for in a quarterback?
“That guy’s got to be the most competitive guy in the room,” Robinson said, referencing the need for accuracy and how they process things mentally. “They got to have the inventory of throws.”
Morris said he wanted quarterbacks who “are elite processors” with good decision-making.
Ridder completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions along with 12 fumbles. Heinicke completed 54.4% of his passes for 890 yards, 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in 2023. Both are under contract for 2024 — Ridder is in the third year of his rookie deal; Heinicke has a $9 million cap hit, but with $7 million in cap savings should Atlanta move on from him.
The team’s third quarterback from last season, Logan Woodside, is a restricted free agent.
Robinson wouldn’t say much about his conversations with Ridder thus far, but he mentioned that he’s “excited to watch a little bit more of Des” while saying he hasn’t seen a lot of him yet. He was noncommittal about what type of offense the Falcons might run next season, saying his staff would work through that over the next couple of months. As a pro coach, he’s exclusively been in Sean McVay’s offense, and Robinson said McVay had been open with him throughout his time there as he learned how to package plays, leadership, and how to mesh run and pass together in an offense.
Robinson did say the plan is to make sure players had clarity within the offense. He praised the skill position players and made clear how he viewed running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts, both of whom had been used in multiple places in the team’s offense under former head coach Arthur Smith.
“Certainly, I think Kyle’s a tight end and Bijan’s a back and those guys are going to get their touches how they are going to get their touches, and so that’s part of the process we’re putting together right now. …” Robinson said. “Shoot, they’re versatile, but those guys can play just tight end; those guys can play just back.
“We’ll have formation versatility to move them all over and certainly try to get the most out of what they do, but those guys are very special players, and just excited to get going with them.”
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