Washington Football Team needs to bring Taylor Heinicke back in 2021

Taylor Heinicke must return to the Washington Football Team in 2021.

When the dust settled on Saturday night, the Washington Football Team was on the losing end of a 31-23 decision against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, the team performed admirably and played with heart and grit. It’s clear that Ron Rivera‘s culture change has taken full effect and this team should be better for it moving forward.

Of course, there was also an unlikely hero that emerged at the quarterback spot for Washington. That was Taylor Heinicke. Pressed into action with Alex Smith (calf) unable to play, Heinicke was nothing short of terrific. He went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady for most of the game and kept the team within striking distance all night.

The performance was nothing short of incredible, especially considering that mere months ago, Heinicke was taking classes at Old Dominion and was out of the NFL. In the Spring of 2020, he was a backup quarterback for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. But even with just a couple of months in Washington and one quarter’s worth of work, Heinicke nearly led them to victory.

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In doing so, Heinicke proved that he certainly belongs in the NFL, and there’s no doubt that the Washington Football Team should do what they can to keep him.

The reasons for keeping Heinicke are simple. He threw the ball well and accurately against the Buccaneers. He showed off elite mobility and great athleticism evading players in the pocket. He also proved to be a quick, smart decision-maker for the team and demonstrated incredible toughness, playing through a separated shoulder to try to lead the team to victory.

When coupling that with Heinicke’s already strong skill set and his in-depth knowledge of Scott Turner‘s offense, it makes him an ideal option in the quarterback room. He has starter upside, as he flashed against the Buccaneers, and at the very least, he would be a great backup.

Heinicke also was a leader for the team during the game. Kendall Fuller said that Heinicke “definitely motivated the team“, while Terry McLaurin expressed a desire to play with Heinicke in the future, per ESPN’s John Keim.

McLaurin has been a vocal leader for this team and was named a team captain halfway through the season, so his opinion certainly matters. If he feels this way about Heinicke, the rest of the team likely wants him to stick around as well.

And Heinicke certainly wants to come back to Washington, as he confirmed via NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay.

There’s no downside to bringing Heinicke back. He’s only 27 and could have a bright future in front of him. He wants to play in Washington for Ron Rivera and Scott Turner, and his teammates like him. And again, even if he doesn’t pan out as a starter, he can be a top-flight backup.

Washington should look to make a deal with Heinicke in the coming days ahead of free agency. Given that they signed him off the street just a couple of months ago, he shouldn’t be too expensive, even in wake of that excellent performance. If they give him a one-year, “prove it” deal or a backup-type salary with playing-time incentives, the two sides should be able to agree to terms rather quickly.

So let’s go, Washington Football Team. Make this happen and bring back a guy who has already cemented himself as a fan-favorite with his performance against the Bucs.