Taylor Heinicke is on the way to Los Angeles. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Falcons give the quarterback to the Chargers. In return, Atlanta receives a conditional sixth-round pick. The conditions of this pick are based on playing time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
(RELATED TOPICS: Do the Falcons want to trade QB Taylor Heinicke?)
We heard earlier this month that the Falcons are keeping an eye on Heinicke Trade. Although the veteran was the team’s only player at that position, his future was uncertain after the Falcons revamped their roster this offseason. Initially, the front office signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative contract, and they later surprised many when they selected Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. This left Heinicke without a clear role in the team.
While the Falcons generally opted for three active QBs in 2023, using the league’s emergency quarterback spot, it sounded like the team preferred to hide their QB3 on the practice squad for the 2024 season. Atlanta ultimately carried Heinicke on the 53-man roster through recent roster cuts, but they will now move forward with only a pair of quarterbacks on their active roster.
While Heinicke was pushed out of the roster in Atlanta, that’s not necessarily a reflection of his standing in the league. The former UDFA had a successful two-year stint in Washington between 2021 and 2022, leading his team to a 12-11-1 record as a starter. That performance helped him land a two-year, $14 million deal with his hometown Falcons last offseason, where he was expected to deliver the former third-round pick Desmond Ridder with some competition. Heinicke ultimately started four games for Atlanta, going 1-3 and completing a career-low 54.4 percent of his passes. The veteran took a pay cut from $5 million to $1.21 million to stay in Atlanta in 2024, but now he’ll earn that reduced salary in Los Angeles.
The Chargers only had a couple of quarterbacks left after the last cuts, with Easton Rackets positioned to the QB2 behind Justin Herbert. Stick, a former fifth-round pick, has spent his entire career with the Chargers and finally got an extended look when he stepped in for Herbert in 2023. Although the Chargers went 0-4 in his four starts, Stick still managed to complete 63.8 percent of his passes for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Heinicke will give the organization some more starting experience behind Herbert, but it is uncertain what the roster will ultimately look like.
