Falcons to sell former offensive starter

Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report named one player from each NFL team on August 14 who should be on the transfer block this month. For the Atlanta Falcons, the choice was pretty obvious – veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke.

“When you look at the teams in the league that have questions at the quarterback position, Heinicke has the skills and experience (29 starts in his career) to not only compete but to perform,” Fowler wrote.

“It’s contextual, as the former Old Dominion UDFA has a ceiling, but he’s combative, has a knack for making big plays and has proven he can keep a team in the race when he’s under the leadership.”

Heinicke is a clear candidate to be a transfer for the Falcons, as the team signed Kirk Cousins ​​and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the offseason. Cousins ​​is projected to be the team’s starter through at least the 2024 season, while Penix is ​​considered the team’s future quarterback.

Penix had an encouraging first preseason performance against the Miami Dolphins, completing 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards on five drives. The Falcons offense scored 10 points, including a rushing touchdown by Carlos Washington Jr. with Penix at center.

Meanwhile, Heinicke struggled and only managed 4 of his 11 attempts over 11 yards.

Heinicke can bring valuable experience as a veteran backup, which is likely why the Falcons brought him back in the offseason.

But there is already little doubt that Penix has even more potential. By the end of training camp, Penix could be the team’s backup point guard, pushing Heinicke down to the No. 3 position.

Even if Penix doesn’t get the backup job, there’s a reason not to have Heinicke as the second quarterback. The third quarterback doesn’t get typical workouts during the regular season, which wouldn’t be ideal for Penix’s development.

Since Heinicke will likely take over the third quarterback position in Atlanta, he is a clear trade object for the Falcons if they want to gain more depth elsewhere in their roster.