Taylor Heinicke started almost the entire season for Washington last year after Ryan Fitzpatrick went down with an injury in Week 1. Some felt he might have a chance to keep the job in 2022, but the Commanders then acquired Carson Wentz via trade. Even Heinicke seems to think he has no shot to start now.
Heinicke was asked by reporters on Wednesday if he believes he can win a starting job this summer. He offered a surprisingly honest response.
“I don’t think that’s an option,” Heinicke said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “You look at the NFL and at the end of the day, it’s kind of a business. If you’re paying someone $30 million and you’re paying someone else $2 million — you’re paying this guy $30 million to play, you know?”
Heinicke has a point. There is certainly a chance he could start at some point if Wentz struggles. It would probably take an injury for Washington to not name Wentz the Week 1 starter given that it gave up draft picks for him and is paying him nearly $30 million, as Heinicke said.
Heinicke called Wentz a “great quarterback” and said he hopes the former No. 2 overall pick can revive his career.
“Hopefully, he’s on his deal, help him out in whatever way I can, and if for some reason he goes down, I’m ready to go play,” Heinicke said. “That’s how I look at it. But, again, the NFL’s a business. You’re paying a guy a lot of money, you’re paying him money for a reason. He’s gonna go play.”
Washington was 7-8 in the games Heinicke started last season. The veteran threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He certainly was not terrible, but there is a reason the Commanders tried to upgrade this offseason. Whether Wentz will be the upgrade they were seeking remains to be seen.
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