Washington Football Team: Does Taylor Heinicke deserve a chance to start?

He’s back through 2022. But what will Taylor Heinicke’s role be with the Washington Football Team?

Who’s Taylor Heinicke, you ask? Well, if you’re a Washington Football Team fan, you should probably know by now. Heinicke’s short, eventful stint as a Washington quarterback in 2020 earned him lasting status as a legend in the Burgundy and Gold, and has some wondering if he should be a legitimate competitor in a starting battle in 2021.

Heading into the 2020 season, Heincike wasn’t even on Washington’s radar. The team first committed to Dwayne Haskins as their starting quarterback, with Kyle Allen and Alex Smith serving as backups. When the Haskins experiment quickly soured, Allen took over as starter. When Allen was lost to a season-ending injury, Smith filled in, and helped keep the team’s playoff hopes alive.

Down the stretch, however, even Smith wasn’t immune to the continuous churn at quarterback. A right calf injury impeded his ability to play at full strength late in the year, and forced Haskins back into the limelight against the Panthers. Haskins performed poorly, and was later released, leaving Washington with a hole at their most important position.

Elsewhere, while Washington was going through turmoil at quarterback, Heinicke was a student at Old Dominion University, studying for finals. He hadn’t played professional football since 2018, when he completed 35 of 57 passes for 320 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions, losing his only start. But his job application naturally had an advantage over others: His most recent play experience came with the Panthers, under Ron Rivera and Scott Turner. Both now coached for Washington.

Heinicke got the call before the Panthers game, to provide depth for Haskins while Smith healed. Heinicke ended up coming in for Haskins in the fourth quarter, after Haskins was benched. The former Panther played surprisingly well in limited action, completing 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and a score. Smith would come back to lead Washington to a division-clinching win in Week 17, but soon after, his calf injury regressed, leaving his playoff status in doubt.

Early on, it was made apparent that Heinicke would likely be the starter in the wild card round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He took all the first-team reps in practice leading up to the game, and when Smith failed to participate consistently in drills, it was clear that Heinicke would get another chance to shine.

Many didn’t expect much from the former undrafted free agent. But under the lights, with a nation watching, he shined. Heinicke gave the Buccaneers a fight to the end, single-handedly providing life for a Washington Football Team that struggled to defend Tom Brady.

Heinicke threw for over 300 yards and scored two touchdowns — one through the air, and one on the ground. The score on the ground was particularly memorable: A tenacious sprint and dive to the corner of the end zone, to bring the Washington Football Team within a field goal.

Washington would go on to lose against the eventual Super Bowl champions, but Taylor Heinicke arguably gave them their closest battle of the playoffs. Beyond that, Heinicke quickly won over his teammates with his high-energy, competitive style, and just yesterday, Heinicke was extended by Washington for two years.

So Heinicke is back. But now the question is this: What will he be for two years? A starter, or a backup?

Recency bias has afforded Heinicke a generous amount of hype, and for good reason. Heinicke was spectacular with the Washington Football Team in 2020, and he didn’t have much time to prepare. He’s familiar with Turner’s scheme and easy to rally around, and he’s also a very good athlete for the position (4.62 40-yard dash, 35-inch vertical). That athleticism stood out, as he was able to extend plays where other quarterbacks had previously failed.

Nevertheless, Heinicke’s solid performance came in a very small sample size — five quarters. And previously in his career, he’s never been more than a journeyman. His arm isn’t great, and he’s had trouble staying healthy, suffering injuries at a startling rate. He’s already almost 28 years old, and while that’s young for a quarterback, it’s hard to say if he’s maxed out already. Quarterbacks have broken out late before, but those QBs tend to be the exception, as opposed to the rule.

In his contract details, it’s clear that the Washington Football Team views Heinicke as a backup. He can earn more money with incentives, but as Nicki Jhabvala noted, Heinicke’s base salary in 2021 is just $1 million. In 2022, it’s $1.5 million.

Depending on what Washington does at the quarterback position moving forward, Heinicke could feasibly compete for the starting job. However, reasonably, if the coaches had more confidence he’d definitively win the job, they would have locked him down for longer, with more guarantees.

We’re already past the boundary of speculation, so I’ll pass it along to you. Do you think Taylor Heinicke deserves a chance to start at quarterback for the Washington Football Team in 2021? Feel free to voice your thoughts in the comments section below.