3 Atlanta Falcons who could have their contracts changed for cap space

2. Taylor Heinicke

Why did the Falcons not cut Taylor Heinicke this offseason? The only reasonable explanation is the team truly loves what he brings to the roster off the field. Logan Woodside was quickly moved on from as Atlanta's third quarterback with the team still looking to fill that role. Atlanta's 2023 starter Desmond Ridder, was traded to the Cardinals for Rondale Moore.

Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris wanted a fresh start at the quarterback position. Cutting Heinicke would complete this change and would have saved the Falcons right around $7 million in cap space. This is more than enough to go out and add a player who is going to make an impact on a defense that badly needs depth.

However, with the Falcons keeping Heinicke on the roster as long as they have it is increasingly probable he the backup in week one. The Falcons kept Heinicke on the roster long enough to get a roster bonus suggesting if the team were to cut Heinicke it would have been before this point.

Give Taylor credit for how he has carried himself and his underdog career. However, in Atlanta what we saw on the field made the potential cap savings more valuable than having Heinicke as the backup plan.