4 quarterbacks the Commanders could sign to replace Taylor Heinicke

Which free-agent quarterbacks are still available for the Washington Commanders as the team looks for veteran help alongside Sam Howell in 2023?

The Washington Commanders were reportedly hoping for Taylor Heinicke to stick around in 2023. But the quarterback got a fantastic offer to join the Atlanta Falcons, where he will back up and compete with Desmond Ridder on a two-year contract with more money than he’s ever had before.

This leaves the Commanders short of realistic veteran options with the free-agent class diminishing with every passing hour. Ron Rivera and others in positions of power won’t want to get caught short with only Sam Howell as their viable option heading into the offseason.

Howell is going to get a real opportunity to become Washington’s next long-term quarterback. His chances would improve exponentially with an experienced signal-caller to guide him through this steep transition.

Any new signing also needs to have the capability to produce at a moment’s notice if Howell gets hurt or cannot meet expectations. With this in mind, here are four quarterbacks the Commanders could sign to replace Heinicke next season.

Quarterback No. 1

Commanders could sign Andy Dalton

While Andy Dalton‘s production was decent enough for the New Orleans Saints in 2022, his imitations these days are obvious. It’s been a long time since the quarterback was dishing out 25-plus touchdowns a season for the Cincinnati Bengals, but his experience could be an asset to Sam Howell heading into a critical Year 2 of his professional career.

Dalton is nothing more than a backup at this stage of his career, and that’s fine. His task with the Washington Commanders would be to pass on his extensive knowledge of playing the position to Howell and hope it can have the desired effect.