Tag: Taylor Heinicke

Falcons have $6M in cap space after Taylor Heinicke pay cut

The Falcons have over $6 million in cap space available after restructuring QB Taylor Heinicke’s contract

Few were surprised to see the Atlanta Falcons make a change at the quarterback position following the team’s rocky 2023 regular season. Neither Desmond Ridder nor Taylor Heinicke proved to be Atlanta’s long-term answer at the game’s most important position.

On the first day of free agency, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal and later traded Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals. This left Heinicke as the primary backup QB, but his contract still needed some work.

As ESPN’s Michael Rothstein reported, the Falcons got Heinicke to take a pay cut, lowering his 2024 cap number from $8.96 million to $4.53 million:

The reduction in the deal lowers Heinicke’s cap number from $8.96 million to $4.53 million — including a cash value of $2.53 million. If the Falcons were to release him at this point, he would cost $3.32 million in dead money with only a cap savings of $1.21 million. — Michael Rothstein, ESPN

Heinicke’s restructured contract is a sign the team wants to keep him around as Cousins’ backup this season. According to Over The Cap‘s updated salary cap numbers, the Falcons have roughly $6.3 million in cap space available.

That extra cash gives the team more flexibility in free agency and some big names are still available. Former Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who tied for the team lead in sacks last season, is one potential option for Atlanta.

LOOK: New Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu is switching to a single-digit number

No. 4 looks good on Luvu.

In his three seasons with the Carolina Panthers, new Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu wore the No. 49 jersey. Upon signing with the Commanders, that number was off-limits, as it is retired as the number of the legendary Bobby Mitchell.

So, would Luvu return to the No. 50 he wore with the New York Jets when he first entered the NFL?

We have our answer. Per Washington’s X page, Luvu will wear No. 4 in 2024. The No. 4 jersey was worn by wide receiver Curtis Samuel in 2023, but Samuel departed in free agency. From 2020-22, quarterback Taylor Heinicke donned the No. 4.

While it may take some getting used to, the No. 4 looks pretty slick on Luvu.

Before 2021, Luvu would’ve had to wear a more traditional linebacker number. However, the NFL relaxed those rules, allowing more flexibility for jersey numbers.

Washington’s signing of Luvu has been praised around the NFL, as many believe his football is still ahead of him.

Former Commanders coach Ron Rivera: ‘I put way too much pressure on him (Sam Howell)’

Ron Rivera expresses regret on his handling of QB Sam Howell.

Ron Rivera, speaking with John Keim, said he probably shouldn’t have put as much pressure on quarterback Sam Howell in 2023.

Howell got his first and only snaps of the 2022 season when Taylor Heinicke felt that Howell should start and play the final game of the season because the Commanders had been eliminated from the playoffs the previous week.

After Howell played well in the 2022 season finale against Dallas, Rivera then named Howell the QB1.

“I think that was probably one of the mistakes I made this year. The biggest one I think I made was I put way too much on him, and he didn’t deserve to have that put on him. He’s a good, young quarterback who has some talent and some ability. I think that’s something I should have backed off.”

Rivera told Keim he should have stated that Howell “was going to be the first guy to get the opportunity to be Q1, not that he was QB1.” Rivera continued that this put more pressure on Howell and he should have made it clear Howell had not been anointed the starter.

Rivera then emphasized to Keim that he felt Howell handled it tremendously well but that he should not have had to handle as much and that it was all on Rivera.

The recently fired Commanders head coach also pointed out he felt several in the Washington media were looking for the “I gotcha moments” to catch Rivera in contradictions or misstatements. He voiced in frustration that there were even times he would go back and read the transcripts to see what he had exactly said to the local media.

He recalled times he knew he could have said some things differently and admitted to Keim that he certainly realizes he is not infallible.

There is much more… here is the entire discussion between Rivera and Keim.

 

Commanders fire head coach Ron Rivera after 4 seasons

Rivera finishes his time in Washington with a 26-40-1 record.

The Washington Commanders have fired head coach Ron Rivera one day after the team finished a 4-13 season with a 38-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. It was Washington’s eighth consecutive loss.

Rivera finishes his time in Washington with a 26-40-1 record and missed the playoffs the past three seasons. In Rivera’s first season (2020), he unexpectedly led the franchise to an NFC East title, albeit with a 7-9 record.

However, hopes were high heading into 2021. Washington spent in free agency, signing cornerback William Jackson III, wide receiver Curtis Samuel and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Jackson and Fitzpatrick moves proved disastrous and Samuel missed virtually his entire first season in Washington before becoming an integral part of the offense over the past two seasons.

Washington finished 7-10 in 2021, but Rivera believed the team would bounce back in 2022. The team became the Commanders in Feb. 2022 and attempted to trade for veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers before settling on Carson Wentz.

It proved to be another disastrous move for Washington. Wentz struggled badly, starting only seven games, and Taylor Heinicke started for most of the season for a second consecutive year. Heinicke was signed in Dec. 2020 off the street as an emergency quarterback during COVID-19 and quickly became a fan favorite.

Despite Rivera’s best efforts to replace him, Heinicke would become his most dependable quarterback through his four seasons as head coach. In 2023, Rivera anointed Sam Howell Washington’s “QB1” shortly after the end of the 2022 season. Howell showed promise through 10 weeks but struggled mightily during Washington’s final seven games.

Rivera’s failure to adequately address the quarterback situation, in addition to his personnel blunders — in the draft and free agency — proved to be some of his biggest mistakes.

However, Rivera was the leader the franchise needed during some dark times, including the continuous drama and scandal involving former owner Dan Snyder and the team changing its name twice.

Falcons list inactives for Week 18 matchup vs. Saints

The Atlanta Falcons have released their inactives list for Sunday’s season finale against the New Orleans Saints

The Atlanta Falcons (7-9) have released their inactives list for Sunday’s season finale against the New Orleans Saints (8-8). Quarterback Taylor Heinicke is officially out for Week 18 and will serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback.

Defensive end Zach Harrison and center Drew Dalman have also been ruled out for Sunday’s game in New Orleans. Check out all six of the team’s inactives for Week 18 below.

Falcons starting Desmond Ridder, not Taylor Heinicke, at QB vs. Saints

The Falcons are starting Desmond Ridder, not Taylor Heinicke, at quarterback against the Saints:

We’ll file this one under “mildly surprising.” The Atlanta Falcons are starting quarterback Desmond Ridder after waffling between him and Taylor Heinicke all week going into Sunday’s finale with the New Orleans Saints. Ridder had been benched for poor performance but Heinicke’s ankle injury prevented him from being able to go in Week 18. The Falcons are 6-6 in games Ridder has started this season while going 1-3 with Heinicke.

Ridder is 1-1 against New Orleans in his career, having posted passing lines of 13-for-26 for 97 yards in last year’s loss and 13-for-21 for 168 yards (with a touchdown pass and two interceptions) in a win earlier this season. He’s ran 13 times to gain 68 yards but the Saints have sacked him 4 times.

Can he make a big difference on Sunday? Maybe, maybe not. The Saints have done a good job guarding him before. The problem is that they didn’t have much of an answer for the Falcons running game. Atlanta ran all over them in their last meeting, putting up 228 rushing yards as a team, and Dennis Allen’s defense must prove it can hold up against a determined assault on the ground.

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Falcons QB Desmond Ridder to start season finale vs. Saints

Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is OUT vs. the Saints. Backup Desmond Ridder is set to start Sunday’s game in New Orleans

The Atlanta Falcons have ruled quarterback Taylor Heinicke out for Sunday’s season finale against the Saints due to an ankle injury. Backup Desmond Ridder will get the start in Week 18 as the team fights for a playoff berth.

Heinicke was listed as questionable on Atlanta’s injury report. Ridder has passed for 2,545 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 games this season.

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Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke questionable for season finale vs. Saints

Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke is questionable for Sunday’s season finale against the Saints

If the Atlanta Falcons (7-9) are going to win Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints (8-8), they may have to do so without starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke. The team released its final Week 18 injury report on Friday and Heinicke was officially listed as questionable.

If Heinicke can’t play, Desmond Ridder would get the start for Atlanta. Neither quarterback has been overly impressive this season.

Heinicke has passed for 890 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions (passer rating of 74.7). As for Ridder, he has 2,545 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions (passer rating of 81.1).

The Falcons must find a way to get a win over the Saints if they hope to end their five-year postseason drought.

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Ron Rivera’s top-5 wins as Commanders head coach

We look back at Ron Rivera’s five best wins as Washington head coach. No. 1 was a fun one.

Ron Rivera did not have a winning season in his four seasons as Washington’s head coach.

However, Rivera did have a few really good wins. Actually, in coming up with a top five, I actually came up with eight.

The three honorable mention wins?

2020 Week 1  27-17 over Philadelphia at FedEx Field.

After trailing 17-0, Washington came back to win 27-17, and everyone was excited. However, Washington then lost their next five games.

2020 Week 17  20-14 over Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field

This is no better than honorable mention because it meant everything for Washington, and the Eagles were doing all they could not to win.

2020 Week 12  41-16 over Dallas on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium

Dak Prescott was injured and did not play, so only honorable mention.

Here are the top five wins for Ron Rivera during his four Washington seasons (2020-23)

 

Commanders’ Rivera: ‘We’re going to stick with Sam’

Sam Howell will be the first QB to start every game under Rivera.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera announced Wednesday that Sam Howell will be the starter Sunday against the Cowboys at FedEx Field.

The first question directed at Rivera was regarding who would start Sunday, and Rivera’s succinct reply was, “Yes, we are going to stick with Sam.”

When asked if it was due to his play last Sunday or Jacoby Brissett’s hamstring injury, Rivera responded, “Well, I think it’s a little bit of both. But I thought what Sam did, he did the things that we were hoping he would be able to do. He did some really good things. I thought he managed a couple of the drives very well, very nicely. I want to see him get an opportunity to finish it out.”

Rivera expressed that he thought early on Howell had been able to connect with Terry (McLaurin) and that was something he wanted to see, and that this Sunday gives them a chance again to do some more of that.

Rivera pointed out that Howell took his benching well during last week’s game preparation. “He handled it no differently than I thought he would. He’s a very solid young man, a very mentally tough guy, and I thought he handled it nicely”, expressed Rivera.

With this decision, it means it could most likely become the first season of Rivera’s four seasons where he was able to start the same quarterback all season that he desired to start in preseason.

Last season (2022), Carson Wentz was the starter for whom Rivera had traded in the offseason. Wentz started seven games last year, struggled at times and also suffered a broken finger on his passing hand against the Bears. Taylor Heinicke started nine games, with Howell starting the season finale against Dallas.

In 2021, Rivera made the decision to sign free-agent Ryan Fitzpatrick to be Washington’s starter. However, in the opening half of the opening game, Fitzpatrick badly injured a hip and was lost for the season. Heinicke then started the other 15 games.

In Rivera’s first season in Washington, he started Dwayne Haskins in the first six games, Kyle Allen received four starts, and Alex Smith made the other six starts. Heinicke then was the starter for the playoff game.