Will the Atlanta Falcons cut veteran QB Taylor Heinicke?

To say it was a rough year to be the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons would be an understatement. The most important position for any football team was a disaster for the Falcons and was a big reason why they had another disappointing 7-10 season.

One of those quarterbacks was journeyman Taylor Heinicke. The Atlanta native signed a two-year deal last offseason and will likely not see the end of it.

Atlanta Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke will be looking for another job this offseason

Taylor Heinicke has been one of the NFL's best stories over the past few years. The journeyman quarterback went from sleeping on his sister's couch in Georgia to starting a playoff game against Tom Brady just a few weeks later—and almost pulled off the upset.

That game gave him a boost and he stuck around as a starter for the Washington Commanders for a couple of seasons before signing a two-year, $14 million contract with his hometown Falcons last year.

Since walking into the building, Heinicke made it clear as day that he was the backup to Desmond Ridder. But, as we all know, he ended up starting a few games after Ridder was benched. He did not play well and that will likely cause him to be released in the not-too-distant future.

According to Spotrac.com, after earning about $7 million in 2023, Heinicke has a 'potential out' in his contract which will give the Falcons some cap relief with minimal penalty.

By releasing him the Falcons will save $6.5 million and will have to absorb a $2 million cap hit (post-June 1 release is a non-factor with his contract).

Considering how he played in 2023 and that there will be a new offensive staff, it is doubtful that he will make it to the 2024 season as a member of the Falcons. He would cost them $8.5 million against the cap which is just too rich for the type of play he had.

Hopefully, this isn't the end of his career in the NFL. He might latch on with another team for minimal money but will have to fight to make the roster.