When the Atlanta Falcons shocked the world and took quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, a flurry of questions went through my mind: How could they do this? Why can’t this organization ever be normal? Am I cut out for another season without a premier edge rusher?
One question that didn’t come to mind was should the Falcons consider trading backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke? It did come to mind for Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, so much so that he put Heinicke’s possible exit out of Atlanta on his trading block watch for the 2024 season.
Quarterback Taylor Heinicke took a pay cut to stay with the Atlanta Falcons following the free-agent signing of Kirk Cousins. His cap hit of $4.5 million isn't egregious for a backup QB, though he may not even fill that role in 2024.
A little more than a month after Cousins was signed, Atlanta used the eighth overall pick on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The rookie is the future, Cousins is the present, and Heinicke has largely become expendable.
While last year's league-wide rash of quarterback injuries will incentivize teams like Atlanta to keep three signal-callers on the roster, if Heinicke is traded, undrafted rookie John Paddock could serve as the Falcons' emergency QB at the low price of just $796,666.
Heinicke can likely be had for a price. A Day 3 draft pick would probably get a deal done right now, as moving Heinicke would also save Atlanta $1.2 million in cap space. The Cleveland Browns flipped Joshua Dobbs and a seventh-round pick for a fifth-round pick last offseason.
While his availability is high, Heinicke ranks low on our list because his trade value will remain low until/unless another team loses its starter to injury—or fails to find one during training camp. With 29 starts on his resume and a low cap hit, Heinicke would quickly draw interest as a bridge or spot starter.
When this same question was posed earlier in the off-season, I paid it no mind. Everyone was overreacting to the decision to draft Penix, myself included, and there wasn’t much productive conversation happening. Now that everyone has taken a second to breathe this decision in, the conversation still stands, and there are possible places for Heinicke to go. Heinicke has plenty of experience as a starter, which could make him a viable option if a quarterback goes down near the beginning of the season. Heck, he could push for a starting spot at this very moment for teams like the Las Vegas Raiders or Denver Broncos.
But the Falcons shouldn’t do it.
Atlanta’s quarterback room is one of the most uncertain with overall injury health. Presumed starter Kirk Cousins is coming off an Achilles injury…on his plant foot. Penix had four college seasons end in a season-ending injury. How will that transfer to a much more physical professional game?
If we have learned anything from former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers, having as many quarterbacks on the roster as possible may be more of a necessity than a luxury. Injury luck is as random a factor as you can get. Having three capable starters at the quarterback position is not a luxury for the Falcons. It’s a necessity, so to answer the question: No, the Falcons should not consider trading Heinicke.
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