Why Taylor Heinicke is too important to trade

July 8, 2022

by David Earl

Recent Topic that Isn’t Quite National

In a recent post by Commanderswire, the author mentions the idea that trading Taylor Heinicke should be explored with Carson Wentz and Sam Howell rostered. This drew some attention among the fans, who responded with a resounding, “no way.” However, it’s not a bad idea to think over, especially if Taylor can draw significant value in return, which is unlikely, but is that the best direction for entering Ron Rivera‘s crucial third year? If the walls fall off on the season and a playoff team either loses a starter or needs depth, then sure, make a move in a lost season. Until that scenario happens, and the time comes that it would be best to allow the rookie to get some valuable experience, staying the current course is the best option.  Let’s discuss why.

Familiarity and Effectiveness

We all know the legend of Taylor Heinicke: his rise from obscurity as the undersized underdog to the competent starting quarterback we watched last year, plus the two valiant performances against Tom Brady that made him a fan favorite. While his lack of arm strength was his ultimate undoing, Taylor displayed moxie and leadership for the game plus his off-schedule playmaking ability that made the locker room favorite. Even with all that said and his story is inspirational, Ron recognized that Heinicke just was not “QB1” material, but that does not diminish his value in Washington. His unheralded rise proved he is more than capable of being an NFL quarterback. With his injury history in the rear view mirror, Taylor can transition into a prototypical backup quarterback. Some may call him a luxury to have because of his familiarity with Scott Turner‘s offense, and how effective he runs his system. That having been said, his arm strength and tendency towards bad turnovers does prevent Scott from opening up his play-calling downfield. It’s Taylor’s strengths in Turner’s offense are his pocket awareness, mobility outside the pocket, above-average intermediate passing game, and overall football IQ. Considering what most team’s backup quarterback situation looks like, it’s safe to say Washington certainly has a valuable asset in Taylor Heinicke if Carson Wentz ever went down with an injury.

Commands Locker Room

Since the playoff performance against Tampa Bay 2 years ago, Heinicke has garnered not only respect but is also looked upon as a leader in the locker room. While the stigma of Wentz as a weak leader follows Carson, Taylor is just the opposite since the day he stepped in as a starter. He’s a prime example of a leadership role that commands this locker room was his answer to if he can win the starting job this season. He was honest in that you play the guy who is making $30 million a year while adding how anything Carson Wentz needs to assist in running Scott’s offense he will certainly help. There are many examples of players who distance themselves from their team if they feel slighted by the team. The signing of Wentz could have easily created a level of resentment in Heinicke, but that was just not the case. Instead of creating any controversy that could divide the locker room, he has embraced his new role (thus far) as the #2 quarterback in Washington.

Washington’s Abysmal Quarterback History

Jeff George, Tony Banks, Danny Wuerffel, Shane Matthews, Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell, Rex Grossman, John Beck, Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins (RIP), and so on, represent an overall history of bad quarterback play dating back to the 2000 season. Whether through poor development, terrible play or poor management of each player, this organization has just not had the luxury of quarterback they have today. Carson Wentz is currently a mid-level quarterback with a high ceiling, and Taylor Heinicke provides a reliable and competent depth as a proven starter. Most importantly Taylor, as a backup quarterback, is a vast improvement over the Mark Sanchez types of the world this team has had to run out in relief far too often. Going back to the importance of this season for Ron Rivera, entering the 2022 season with a talented but raw player like Sam Howell as the backup is just playing Russian Roulette, especially when a proven guy like Taylor is such a minimal hit to the team’s overall cap number. So why tweak an area of the team that appears, on paper at least, to be the strongest it’s ever been during this current ownership, and in a year with self-imposed high expectations. Taylor Heinicke’s value goes beyond his story and success on the field – he gives insurance to the most important position in all of sports.

Trade Makes No Sense

Unless there is a team willing to overpay by quite a bit, trading Taylor Heinicke doesn’t make any sense. From experience to his locker room presence and his  relatively minimal cap number of $3.6 million, the benefit of retaining Taylor far outweighs trading him, particularly considering the late-round value Washington would get in return. This season also is just too important for Ron Rivera and Scott Turner to entrust an unproven rookie if Wentz gets injured. Yes, Heinicke has a modest record and doesn’t always make the smartest decisions, but his ability to run this offense accompanied by his play-making ability will allow Washington to stay above water if needed for a few weeks during the season especially if they are in playoff contention. To reiterate about this team’s history at the quarterback position since the 2000 season, having Heinicke as the #2 guy is a luxury this team has never had, so why create a potential need at the most important position in sports? Another positive note is the fact that combined salary of Wentz (28 million) and Heinicke (3.6 million) going into the 2022 season doesn’t even break the top 10 of highest-paid quarterback salaries, a list that includes a quarterback who most likely won’t play this year (Deshaun Watson), one many consider a lesser player than Wentz (Jared Goff), and the man without a single clutch gene as he piles meaningless numbers (Kirk Cousins). Washington is sitting well and any trade right now to unnecessarily weaken this position would be unjustifiable. This team has too many other depth issues like linebacker and cornerback to create another depth problem anyway.