The Atlanta Falcons made two major investments in the quarterback position, which could lead to a Taylor Heinicke trade. After sitting through arguably the worst quarterback situation in football last year, first-year head coach Raheem Morris signed Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year, $190 million deal, and later selected Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Taylor Heinicke already took a pay cut to save his job, but Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports believes that won’t be enough to keep him from the trade block. In a recent article, the NFL analyst listed the journeyman passer as one of five quarterbacks who could be dealt in the coming weeks.
Taylor Heinicke Could Be On Trade Block
It’s easy to see why the Falcons could trade Taylor Heinicke. As mentioned above, the Falcons made two heavy investments in the quarterback position, and, barring injury, Heincike won’t be anything more than the third quarterback on the depth chart. Heincike is not a franchise quarterback, but he’s one of the game’s better backups and would be a welcome upgrade on several depth charts.
The Falcons won’t receive a massive return for Taylor Heinicke, but they should land a late-round pick in a trade. After all, if Zach Wilson can net a sixth-round pick, someone will be interested in bringing in Heinicke as a backup.
Possible Destinations
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but Josh Johnson is not. Jackson missed time in two of the past three seasons, and the quarterback reportedly lost weight this offseason. This team could use a better insurance policy and Heinicke is one of the best options remaining on the market.
Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa played in all 17 games last year, but history suggests he might not be able to do that on an annual basis. The Dolphins quarterback has a long history of concussions, and Mike White isn’t the best insurance policy. Taylor Heinicke will be an upgrade in a trade and an offensive mastermind like Mike McDaniel should be able to make the most of the quarterback’s mobility.
Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams is the starter, and even though he is a phenomenal prospect, he will probably experience a few rookie growing pains. Second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent is currently the backup, but this team could use an experienced veteran to show Williams the rope. Taylor Heinicke is an ideal veteran mentor and the trade candidate could probably play at a higher level than Bagent if injury strikes.
Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love is the real deal, but the Packers are one snap away from handing the reigns to Sean Clifford. If any team knows the value of a backup quarterback, it should be Green Bay. While the Falcons backup doesn’t have the potential to become a franchise quarterback, he can keep the ship afloat in case of injury. Seeing as the Packers should have Super Bowl aspirations, that alone should be enough to justify a Taylor Heinicke trade.
Los Angeles Chargers
Easton Stick did the best he could last year, but the longtime backup failed to win a game in Justin Herbert’s absence. Perhaps he can improve under quarterback guru Jim Harbaugh, he Taylor Heinicke can provide more stability to one of the game’s most important positions. The Chargers won’t stand a chance if Herbert suffers a season-ending injury, but Heinicke can keep the team competitive if the quarterback has to miss a few weeks.
Main Photo: Jamie Sabau – USA Today Sports
