Falcons to sign Taylor Heinicke

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 14, 2023, 8:18 AM EDT
Washington Commanders v San Francisco 49ers
Getty Images

Taylor Heinicke is heading to Atlanta.

Heinicke has agreed to sign with the Falcons, according to NFL Media. He’ll likely compete with Desmond Ridder for the starting quarterback job.

Heinicke, who turns 30 tomorrow, has started 25 games in his NFL career, including nine for the Commanders last season, when he replaced Carson Wentz and played better than Wentz, getting the Commanders into playoff contention before they ultimately fell short. Heinicke also started a playoff game for Washington after the 2020 season.

The Commanders have moved on from Heinicke and Wentz and are currently featuring Sam Howell atop their depth chart, although they still may sign a veteran to compete with Howell.

Permalink 19 Comments Feed for comments Back to top

19 responses to “Falcons to sign Taylor Heinicke”

  1. Poor Desmond Ridder… Atlanta fans are going to fall in love with Taylor. He’s such a competitor and just an awesome human being. Redskin nation will miss you Taylor. Thanks for bringing the passion each and every day!!!

  3. I get it, he wants to start but this is the kind of backup SB teams should want. KC needs a new #2 QB now that Henne retired. Buffalo, Baltimore come to mind

  4. Atlanta is getting a solid QB with a truck load of heart! Hate to see him leave Washington!

  7. He’s not going to “compete” with Des. That’s silly. But, depending on the contract, it’s a good idea to bring in a back-up with starting experience. If nothing else, he can model for Des how to get and keep[ his team’s respect. The Commanders players LOVED him, except maybe the WRs, TEs and RBs who had to watch balls sail over their heads or bounce in front of them WAY too often.

  8. If the Commandos think they’re going to win with Howell, they’re sadly mistaken. Get ready for another last place finish

  9. Thank God! I did not want him back here! His cult and the hype has moved onto Howell and his 1 game anyhow, but having them both on the roster would have been fan cult hell! That’s one down and I hope another QB comes in and shows our fans that Howell isn’t Canton bound!

  10. Smart signing by the Falcons. A top backup and if Ridder falters he will step in and do well.

  11. Great backup signing in case Ridder needs more time to get acclimated or is injured. He has a lot of heart and can hold the fort down in a pinch. Plus he won’t whine and complain if asked to mentor Ridder but will be an excellent team player. We’ll miss him in DC but understand why they are letting him go.

  13. LOL at these comments already proclaiming Sam Howell a bust. Based on what? Yes, he is unproven beyond the one game played. But he also played very well in that one game. Exactly what have you seen to indicate that he will be a bust.

    Give him the season and then at the end of the season we can proclaim him a success or failure. Put down the hatorade, lol.

  14. Heineke,… one of my favorite players in the NFL. Is he a superstar ? Hell no.
    Does he fight like a junkyard dog and leave it all on the field ? Yes !
    He ain’t pretty,… but you can tell he giving it his all.

  16. Eh, “compete.” Let’s face it, he’s their starter, albeit on a short leash. Good for him. Get yours, kid.

  17. baddegg says:
    March 14, 2023 at 9:38 am
    LOL at these comments already proclaiming Sam Howell a bust. Based on what? Yes, he is unproven beyond the one game played. But he also played very well in that one game. Exactly what have you seen to indicate that he will be a bust.

    Not saying he is a bust but if your so confident in him why was he third on the depth chart. He was beat out by a career back up and a struggling former starter.

  18. The only reason I watched Washington was because of Taylor – I had dumped that mess of team when they brought on Alice Smith after being a fan for nearly 40 years. I am done with this hot mess – Sam Howl is a clown. And it appears they are going to sign up Lame which is an insult to every Washington fan.

  19. “Not saying he is a bust but if your so confident in him why was he third on the depth chart. He was beat out by a career back up and a struggling former starter”

    Because he was a rookie that came from a college system that didn’t use NFL concepts. He had to learn the NFL game and the team didn’t have to rush him on to the field because there were 2 veterans already there. It was actually a good situation for him.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.