Desmond Ridder Didn't Want to Pay Lorenzo Carter for Falcons Number: I'm a Frugal Guy

Desmond Ridder swapped his No. 9 jersey from his days at Cincinnati for the No. 4 jersey with the Atlanta Falcons, and there's a pretty simple reason for the switch.

Ridder said he messaged linebacker Lorenzo Carter after the draft to ask if he'd be willing to give up No. 9, but he turned Ridder down. The rookie signal-caller knew he likely could have bought the number from Carter but chose not to make an offer.

"I'm a frugal guy," Ridder said, per ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "I think the number change can wait."

The Falcons selected Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Cincinnati. He had an impressive senior season with the Bearcats, completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 14 games.

The 22-year-old isn't expected to be named Atlanta's starting quarterback in 2022 with the addition of Marcus Mariota, but he could be the franchise's starter at some point in the future.

If he takes over the reins, he'll likely be able to get that No. 9 jersey back a little easier.