The Washington Commanders currently only have one quarterback under contract for 2023. That quarterback is Sam Howell, who has thrown all of 19 passes.
The Commanders released Carson Wentz last week after one disappointing season. And the man who has started the most games under center for Washington in the previous two seasons, Taylor Heinicke, is a free agent.
Since the January 2021 playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke has started 25 games for the Commanders. His record as the starter is 12-12-1.
Last season, the Commanders looked everywhere for a quarterback before settling on Wentz. It didn’t take Washington long to realize that Heinicke was the better option among the two. After Wentz was injured in Week 6, Heinicke would start the next nine games for the Commanders.
Will Washington re-sign Heinicke or look for another veteran to push Howell?
2022 stats
9 games
- 161/259, 62.2% completion percentage
- 1,859 passing yards
- 12 TDs, 6 INTs
- 19 sacks
- 5-3-1 record as starting quarterback
- 28 carries, 96 rushing yards, one touchdown
- QB rating: 89.6
- QBR: 44.5
- PFF grade: 49.8
Analysis
Washington knows what it has in Heinicke. The Commanders also know what he’s worth to them. That’s why they likely have a price on him and will not deviate from that price. Heinicke is the ideal backup/mentor for Sam Howell. And if Howell struggles, Heinicke is more than capable of entering the game and winning.
Heinicke ran Scott Turner’s complete playbook with ease. However, Turner is gone, and in comes Eric Bieniemy. There are reasons to believe Heinicke would thrive in Bieniemy’s playbook, too. However, while head coach Ron Rivera has said the right things about wanting Heinicke to return, it’s possible Bieniemy sees things differently.
His teammates love Heinicke, and he’s an outstanding leader. What Heinicke lacks in physical talent, he does a lot of the other things right. There will be a market for his services.
Commanders depth chart
| Position | Starter | Backup | Reserve |
| QB | Sam Howell | *Taylor Heinicke | Jake Fromm |
*pending free agent
Positional need: High
Washington has two quarterbacks under contract Sam Howell and Jake Fromm. It’s obvious the Commanders will be hunting for a veteran quarterback, but likely not a high-end passer. Think Andy Dalton and Jacoby Brissett. Both of those passers are capable of starting and winning games. Neither will cost a ton, although both players could have a decent market.
This position remains a problem unless Howell proves to be the answer. When you are a team like Washington, you keep taking chances every year until you find your guy. The Commanders can’t be afraid to make a move because the last two have backfired under this regime. If you love a guy, go get him. Otherwise, you will remain in QB purgatory.
Prediction: Heinicke departs
Both sides have said all of the right things. Many around the team have said Washington wants Heinicke back but will not get into a bidding war for his services. However, everything seemed to change this week when Heinicke’s college coach, Bobby Wilder, went on the “Al Galdi Podcast” and had plenty to say. He wasn’t kind to head coach Ron Rivera over what he deemed as his mismanagement of the quarterback position.
He also noted how Heinicke didn’t want to start in a meaningless game vs. Dallas ahead of free agency after being benched the week before. Remember, during the season, it was framed as Heinicke wanting Howell to have the opportunity. While that may be true, it wasn’t as selfless as some reported. You can’t blame Heinicke for being unhappy with how he was handled late in the season. He left it on the field. Every game. And his career will continue, just not with the Commanders.
