3 former Commanders players who failed with their new team in 2023

Taylor Heinicke - Former Commanders QB

Taylor Heinicke spurned the chance to stay with the Washington Commanders in favor of joining his hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons. Although the signal-caller wouldn't admit it, he probably felt good about getting starting reps at some stage after Desmond Ridder's indifferent rookie campaign.

Heinicke was beloved by the Commanders' fanbase, but he was never going to be a viable long-term starter. When Ridder went through expected complications and turned the football over far too frequently, head coach Arthur Smith turned to his free-agent signing in one last bid to save his job.

The former Old Dominion college standout also found life tough. Heinicke completed just 54.4 percent of his passes for 890 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions from four games. He gained a 47.7 QBR and a passer rating of 74.4. There were some nice moments, but he couldn't seize the moment as many anticipated.

With Raheem Morris taking over as head coach and making his intentions clear about finding a new quarterback to spearhead his ambitious plans to get Atlanta back into the postseason, Heinicke could be a potential salary-cap cut candidate with more than $7 million in savings attached to his early departure.

Every Commanders fan was rooting for Heinicke to make a real go of things closer to home. After a less-than-stellar campaign, it's a nervous wait before his eventual fate is confirmed.