Saved by the bell? Sometimes, rookies can run into contractual conflicts before they even see the field. Desmond Ridder and the Atlanta Falcons avoided that by agreeing to terms on Tuesday.
The four-year rookie deal is worth $5,362,962. The deal includes a $1,080,336 signing bonus. In order for Ridder to participate in training camp festivities, an agreement had to have been reached. At the buzzer, they got it done.
While Marcus Mariota was all but handed the starting job, high-level play and health have proven to be elusive since being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2015.
With that said, FanDuel is currently offering +2000 odds for Ridder to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Given the pressure teams face to start younger, more dynamic passers, and the proclivity in which quarterbacks win the award, it might be worth an early shot. By the time Ridder sees the field, those odds could be long gone.