Falcons owner Arthur Blank feels good about Desmond Ridder

“I like our young quarterback,” Blank said. “People look at just the last four games last year, and they say well that’s based on those four games. But he really progressed from the time that he came on campus, after he was drafted.”

Ridder posted a 44-6 record at Cincinnati. He was the second quarterback taken in the draft behind Kenny Pickett, who was selected by the Steelers in the first round.

“He had a good camp and ... he’s been a strong leader since he’s shown up here,” Blank said. “(He’s) continued to develop. Worked well with Mariota last year. He learned a lot from Marcus. He’s a learner, and he’s got a lot of humility.”

Ridder went 2-2 as a starter. He lost to the Saints and the Ravens on the road. He posted victories over the Cardinals and the Bucs, who pulled most of their starters to rest for their playoff game.

“As the year progressed, he had an opportunity to play,” Blank said. “I think he played at a very competitive level. The last four games, each game seem to be a little bit better.”

After spending heavily on defense in free agency, this is an important season for the Falcons, who have had five consecutive losing campaigns.

“This is the third year of a three-year plan,” Blank said. “I think what I see, what I like a lot, is that coach (Arthur) Smith and (general manager) Terry Fontenot laid out a very careful, thoughtful kind of methodical plan of what they were going to do with the roster, going back several years now. I think they’ve been very disciplined.”

The Falcons posted 7-10 marks in 2021 and 2022 under the new regime.

“I think we are moving in the right direction,” Blank said. “This year I expect our team to be even more competitive, if you will, with the emphasis on the defensive side of the ball during free agency and somewhat during the draft, but primarily in free agency.”

The Falcons elected to stock pile offensive weapons early in recent drafts by selecting tight end Kyle Pitts (fourth overall in 2021), wide receiver Drake London (eight overall in 2022) and running back Bijan Robinson (eighth overall in 2023).

“I think we have as many offensive tools, probably most of any team in the NFL today,” Blank said. “We’ve got a lot of talent. Obviously, an experienced offensive line that has performed at a high level last year. Third most rushing (yards) in the league.”

Now, the three-year plan has to come together.

“They made the moves, and some of them were difficult professionally and personally, but they made the moves they had to make over the last couple of years,” Blank said. “I think they’ve got us in a position where the team is going to be even more competitive than it’s been the last couple of years.”

Blank noted that the Falcons have to avoid injuries and maybe have the ball bounce their way a few times.

Unlike most of the early prognosticators, he’s expecting the NFC South to be battle.

“We’re in a division that is going to be competitive,” Blank said. “Everybody is saying well it’s one of the weakest divisions, but you know from 22 years of owning a team in the NFL, you know, that a division that starts out apparently not so strong, ends up by the end of the year being very strong. There is going to be a lot of competition (in the NFC South).”

Blank didn’t put a number on how many games the Falcons need to win and never mentioned the “P-word” (as in playoffs).

“I expect us to win more games than we’ve won the last couple of years,” Blank said. “Where that puts us and what number that will be, I’m not sure. To go out, get ready play every game as hard as we can with the talent that we have on both sides of the ball, we ought to end up with some pretty good results.”

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