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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
In trading away their former starting quarterback, the Atlanta Falcons also upgraded their receiver room.
A day after signing Kirk Cousins to be the team’s new starting quarterback, the Falcons sent former starter Desmond Ridder to Arizona for receiver Rondale Moore, Atlanta announced Thursday.
Ridder gets a new start in Arizona, potentially as the backup to Kyler Murray. Arizona already has Clayton Tune on the roster. He had just one start last season, the week before Murray returned.
Ridder, a third-round pick by Atlanta in 2022, started 17 career games, completing 64% of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions between the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
After being named the full-time starter prior to the 2023 season, Ridder was benched twice by former head coach Arthur Smith, in part because of his decision-making and issues with ball security — he had 12 fumbles along with 12 interceptions last season. After the season, team owner Arthur Blank called his team’s quarterback play “deficient,” and made it clear the team would be looking for a new starting quarterback, which ended up being Cousins.
The Falcons now have Cousins and Taylor Heinicke on the roster as the team’s quarterbacks.
In trading for Moore, Atlanta is adding to a remade wide receiver room. Other than Drake London, the Falcons had little experience in the receiver room. Atlanta has since signed Darnell Mooney, re-signed KhaDarel Hodge and have now traded for Moore, who has 135 catches for 1,201 yards and three touchdowns over three seasons with the Cardinals.
Moore was the Cardinals’ second-round pick in 2021 but couldn’t find the right fit in Arizona under two different coaching staffs. Moore was utilized for his speed sideline-to-sideline and in returns, at times, but wasn’t used as much in the vertical game.
Moore also has 52 career carries for 249 yards and a touchdown, offering a versatile option like the franchise has had the past three seasons with Cordarrelle Patterson, who is a free agent.
The Falcons also agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth up to $6 million with receiver and return man Ray-Ray McCloud on Thursday, according to a source.
McCloud will provide return man competition for Avery Williams, who is coming off a torn ACL, and depth in a remade receiver room that has seen Atlanta add Moore, McCloud and agreeing to terms with Mooney. This is as a complement to No. 1 receiver London and Hodge.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss contributed to this report.
