4 Rookie deals the Atlanta Falcons are taking advantage of in 2023

2. Desmond Ridder in year two

If Desmond Ridder is a starting quarterback in this league without question this is Atlanta's biggest bargain over the next three seasons. The market at quarterback limits a team's ability to build a Super Bowl contender if you wish to keep your franchise star.

The one cheat code to this has been having either Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes on your roster. Otherwise, your best window to compete for a championship is in your quarterback's rookie deal or early in the contract when you can still build a contending roster around him.

Logan Woodside and Taylor Heinicke both have contracts that have a larger base salary than Ridder's contract offers.

Desmond should have started for Atlanta far sooner and perhaps we would have a better idea of how much of a bargain this contract will prove to be. For now, however, Atlanta is paying a third-round rookie contract to their starting quarterback. That has allowed them an incredible amount of roster flexibility they have used to build out a complete roster.

One that is more than capable of consistently winning games even if Ridder isn't the player many believe the second-year quarterback to be.