Los Angeles Chargers Trade For Former Starting Quarterback

NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons
Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the Los Angeles Chargers were in the market for another quarterback. Easton Stick had a rough offseason and they cut the rest of their rostered options.

Wednesday evening the Chargers were able to get a deal done for a backup QB. It was reported that they traded a conditional 6th-round pick for current Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Taylor Heinicke.

Taylor Heinicke Traded To Los Angeles Chargers For 6th Rounder

NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Falcons famously signed Kirk Cousins this offseason, then notoriously used their first-round pick on a quarterback, Michael Penix.

Heinicke completed just 45.5 percent of his passes for 206 yards over the 86 snaps he played this preseason. He threw no touchdowns and zero interceptions.

In 2021, as a starter, Heinicke led the Washington Football Team to a 7-9 record by completing 65 percent of his passes for 3419 yards and 20 touchdowns. The next season he was replaced by Carson Wentz as the starter but regained the job when Wentz injured his finger. Wentz eventually came back, and Heinicke was benched. He was then picked up by the Falcons in 2022 in free agency.

Heinicke is currently playing under a $4.5 million cap hit on the last year of his two-year contract. Which will fit well under the Chargers’ current $20 million surplus. While it offers the Falcons some relief, as they sit with just $3 million of cap space available.

Heinicke was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of Old Dominion He also played for the Carolina Panthers, and Houston Texans before Washington.

Los Angeles Chargers trade for Taylor Heinicke
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