Final yr’s QB2 carousel featured Taylor Heinicke amassing extra assured cash than most reserve passers. Solely Andy Dalton and Jacoby Brissett fetched extra money at signing than Heinicke, who collected $6.32M assured on a two-year, $14M deal.
Heinicke, who logged a number of begins final season as Desmond Ridder struggled, stays with the group. The Atlanta native, nevertheless, is now tied to a a lot decrease 2024 wage. Heinicke accepted a pay reduce to stick with the Falcons, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein notes. As Atlanta transitions to its Kirk Cousins period, its backup will carry a decrease cap quantity this coming season.
The Falcons trimmed Heinicke’s 2024 base wage from $5M to $1.21M. With Heinicke’s cap quantity now all the way down to $4.53M, this transaction will save the group practically $4.5M in cap area. With many groups filling their backup jobs already — one in every of them (the Cardinals) doing so by buying and selling for Ridder — Heinicke didn’t have a bunch of choices if he declined the pay reduce. Because it stands, he stays on observe to be Cousins’ backup.
Because the Falcons transition to Zac Robinson‘s Rams-influenced offense, they plan so as to add one other quarterback to compete with Heinicke for the backup gig. Whereas Cousins has been one of many NFL’s most sturdy gamers throughout this era, his October Achilles tear does make Atlanta’s QB2 job a bit extra essential than it in any other case would have been.
Heinicke, who operated because the Commanders’ starter for many of the 2021 season and stored Carson Wentz on the bench at factors in 2022, has 30 profession begins on his resume. That features a shut loss to the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Buccaneers within the 2020 wild-card spherical. Final season, the Falcons turned to Heinicke on a number of events. Regardless of exhibiting large confidence in Ridder in the course of the 2023 offseason, Atlanta benched the 2022 third-round decide in Week 8 and once more in Week 16. This led to 4 Heinicke begins. The ultimate outing — a three-INT effort towards the Bears — doomed Atlanta’s fleeting playoff hopes, swinging the door vast open for Arthur Smith‘s firing.
Heinicke, 31, solely accomplished 54.4 % of his throws final season. It could appear possible the Falcons use a draft option to employees so as to add right here, as Cousins is now tied to a $100M sensible assure. Cousins’ ensures stretch into 2026. Heinicke’s deal will nonetheless expire after the season.
