Quinn likes Heinicke but won’t ‘anoint’ him Washington starter originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Taylor Heinicke played the game of his life for Washington in the Wild Card round, throwing for 306 yards and a touchdown with another 46 yards and a score on the ground in a season-ending loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it was only one game, Heinicke’s performance was enough to vault the journeyman practice squad quarterback into the conversation for Washington’s starting QB next season.
On Wednesday, former quarterback and current NFL analyst Brady Quinn joined the Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan to talk about Heinicke and what his future might look like in Washington.
“The reality is, he’s got the skillset to be a guy that you’re going to put within the competition,” Quinn said. “I don’t know that I’m just going to anoint him as the guy based on one game or any game like that. He has been around the NFL for a little while now and so people have had a chance to give him a look and kinda look at him. Maybe it works out in Washington, maybe it doesn’t. But either way, I would imagine that they’re going to have someone they’re bringing in this offseason who they’re expecting to be their starter. It’s probably not going to be Heinicke.”
Washington has several avenues it could go at the quarterback position this offseason. Heinicke is a restricted free agent, so the team will have to sign him to a new contract in order to bring him back. The team still has Alex Smith signed through the 2022 season but could cut him without taking a major cap hit after he showed a lack of mobility in his return from injury.
Quinn mentioned Detroit Lions quarterback Matt Stafford as a potential trade target. He also said that while Alabama QB Mac Jones is the second-most pro-ready quarterback in this year’s draft behind only Trevor Lawrence, he thinks the Heisman Trophy finalist would be “set up to fail” in a Washington offense that needs a veteran to guide it forward.
For more interviews, tune into the Sports Junkies on NBC Sports Washington, weekdays from 6-10 a.m.
