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• Chargers' Taylor Heinicke: Back with Bolts

  16D ago • By RotoWire

  Heinicke signed a one-year contract worth up to $6.2 million with the Chargers on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Heinicke spent the 2024 season with the Chargers as the backup to Justin Herbert but played only 22 offensive snaps while attempting five passes. He's spent parts of a few seasons as a starter and will once again be one of the more competent backups in the league.

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• Chargers' Taylor Heinicke: Gets limited work as backup

  02/17/2025 • By RotoWire

  Heinicke saw spot duty in four regular-season games in 2024, completing three of five pass attempts for 28 yards and also rushing two times for 20 yards. Heinicke's lack of work was expected, as long as the Chargers' starting quarterback, Justin Herbert remained healthy. The 31-year-old joined the franchise late in training camp due to a trade with the Falcons and ultimately won the backup job from Easton Stick. With Heinicke set to be an unrestricted free agent, he may find himself in a different uniform next season.

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• Chargers' Taylor Heinicke: Joins Bolts via trade

  08/28/2024 • By RotoWire

  The Chargers acquired Heinicke from the Falcons on Wednesday in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Heinicke was the odd man out in Atlanta's quarterback room, where both Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix stood firmly above him on the depth chart. He now joins a Los Angeles team that will feel more secure with a more proven option behind Justin Herbert (foot), who recently returned to 7-on-7 work while recovering from a plantar fascia injury. Herbert is expected to be ready for Week 1, but if the Chargers have any concerns about his recovery timetable, Heinicke and Eason Stick could both be in the mix as backup options. Stick is familiar with the offense and looked fine in limited action in 2023, but Heinicke is the more experienced signal-caller, having started 28 games over the last three seasons.

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• Falcons' Taylor Heinicke: Struggles in exhibition opener

  08/10/2024 • By RotoWire

  Heinicke completed four of 11 passes for 11 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and netted no gain on two carries in the Falcons' 20-13 preseason loss to the Dolphins on Friday night. He also fumbled once but recovered. Heinicke was the second quarterback in after rookie eighth overall pick Michael Penix, entering the game with 6:34 remaining in the second quarter. The veteran signal-caller was partly victimized by playing with second- and third-string offensive linemen and skill players, helping explain his forgettable passing line. Nevertheless, Heinicke appears to still have a clear lead in his battle with recent arrival Nathan Rourke for the No. 3 quarterback job, and both players should once again see time in the Falcons' second exhibition game Aug. 17 against the Ravens.

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• Falcons' Taylor Heinicke: Accepts pay cut

  04/02/2024 • By RotoWire

  Heinicke took a pay cut in March to stay with the Falcons, reducing his $5 million base salary to $1.21 million, ESPN.com's Michael Rothstein reports. He also converted a $1.32 million roster bonus to a signing bonus and agreed to remove the $40,000 per-game roster bonuses from his contract. He's left with $2.53 million in real-money compensation for the second and final year of his deal, with a $4.53 million cap hit. Heinicke is in excellent position for the backup QB role behind Kirk Cousins, after Desmond Ridder was traded to Arizona for Rondale Moore in mid-March. The Falcons still have time to bring in competition, but it may not be a priority given that Heinicke's track record suggests he's qualified for the second spot on the depth chart. They'll at least need to bring in a camp arm or two, seeing as Cousins and Heinicke are the only QBs on the roster at the beginning of April.

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