Getty Falcons workout Ball State QB Drew Plitt.
The Atlanta Falcons‘ quarterback room will look completely different this offseason.
The team currently has veteran Marcus Mariota and rookie, Desmond Ridder, in the fold but they are on the search for a third-stringer. This seems to be because Feleipe Franks has been working out with the tight ends at OTAs, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Another interesting thing so far at Falcons OTA — Feleipe Franks working at tight end during individual periods.
The QB is in a white jersey today instead of a red one.
According to Pro Football Network, the Falcons worked out Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt on Monday, June 1.
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Drew Plitt Lacks a “Big-League” Arm
Plitt started his final three seasons at Ball State.
His best season came in 2020 when he lead the Cardinals to their first Mid-American Conference championship in 24 years, along with their first bowl win in school history.
After a solid 2020 season, Plitt’s production dropped in 2021 which left him undrafted this past April.
However, he certainly left his mark on the Cardinals’ football program and ranks third in passing yards (9,061), second in completions (777), and third in touchdown passes (68).
Here’s what Pro Football Network (PFN) had to say about Plitt in his official scouting report:
“Game-managing quarterback coming off a disappointing season. Patient in the pocket, remains poised under the rush, and buys time for receivers. Possesses an outstanding sense of knowing where targets are on the field, goes through progressions, and steps up in the pocket to avoid the rush. Spreads the ball around to all his targets and pulls the ball down rather than forcing passes to covered receivers. Effectively sells ball fakes, stays with the action, and works to be productive.”
As for his downfall, PFN points out that Plitt lacks a big-league arm and pocket stature, which could be a big reason why he hasn’t had much success in free agency.
Atlanta Plans to Roll with Mariota as Their Starting QB
Until Ridder is NFL-ready, the Falcons plan to start Mariota at QB while the rookie soaks up all that he can as a backup.
“We’ve added competition certainly,” Smith said, per The Athletic. “Marcus being the veteran gives us a chance going forward. As with any position on this team, the best player is going to play, but obviously, Marcus being the vet, that’s the way it’ll go starting out.”
Of course, things can change between now and the regular season, but it’s all up to Ridder on how well he performs and competes in training camp.
“I’m not going to sit here and speculate or give you our plan of development,” Smith said. “We’ll see what (Ridder) looks like when he gets here. If you’re asking if we’re going to put a package in for him, we’ll see. We’ve got a long way to go until September.
I’m not going to tell you our long-term plan or a short-term plan. We know what we want to see behind the scenes. It’ll play itself out. You guys will be able to watch it.”
The Falcons have mandatory minicamp starting next week with training camp kicking off at the end of July, which is plenty of time for Ridder to adjust to the pro level.
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