The Raiders hired Scott Turner as a passing game coordinator on Friday.
Wouldn’t you know it, Taylor Heinicke is now a free agent. You see, the two have worked together now three previous times.
Heinicke was getting no interest and was going to be undrafted in 2015.
Heinicke would have one NFL coach come to see him on his scheduled Old Dominion University pro day, and that lone coach was Turner.
Turner, the son of former Redskins head coach Norv Turner was coaching quarterbacks for the Minnesota Vikings. He had heard about this kid from tiny Old Dominion and his college career. Heinicke had passed for 14,959 yards, 132 touchdowns, 1,338 completions, on a sizzling 73.1 completion percentage, and 7 touchdown passes in a single game.
Heinicke indeed went undrafted but signed with the Vikings in 2015 and played some in the preseason, but was not on the active regular-season roster.
The former ODU Monarch was briefly with the Texans in 2017, appearing in one game, completing one pass for ten yards. Next, he again joined up with Turner, this time in Carolina in 2018, making one start and completing 35 of 57 passes for 320 yards.
Late in the 2020 season, when Denver lost three quarterbacks due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Turner (with Washington) connected again with Heinicke and found him taking classes, staying on his sister’s couch.
Now three seasons later, Heinicke with Washington started 24 games for a record of 12-11-1. He passed for 5,415 yards on a 64.0 completion percentage. His touchdown/interception ratio has been 33:21.
Heinicke’s value might have gone up considerably, seeing Washington was 5-3-1 in games he started. Then again, he really struggled at times, and the Commanders seemed to win sometimes despite his inconsistent play.
The Raiders and Derek Carr seemed to be in a spat and are separated, looking to divorce. Will Turner’s influence and Heinicke’s availability result in the two reuniting a fourth time in the NFL?
