Taylor Heinicke has done a grade-A job filling in for Carson Wentz as the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback, winning three of four starts to bring the team back to .500.
Last month, the Commanders placed Wentz on the injured reserve after he suffered a fractured right finger in his throwing hand. This left head coach Ron Rivera no choice but to roll with Heinicke, who started the majority of games for Washington last season.
The Commanders are 3-1 with Heinicke, who has tossed 840 passing yards and five touchdowns against four interceptions. The 29-year-old helped Washington pull off a giant upset over the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, further cementing the argument to keep him on as the starter when Wentz returns.
It’s not just Heinicke’s strong performance up to this point that could prompt Washington to bench Wentz. As noted by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, the Commanders actually have an incentive to give Heinicke at least two more starts:
“If Wentz plays at least 70 percent of the Commanders’ offensive snaps this season, the Commanders have to send a second-round draft pick to the Colts. If Wentz plays less than 70 percent of snaps, the Commanders send the Colts a third-round pick.
Sunday’s game will be the fifth that Wentz has missed, and five games is 29 percent of a 17-game season. So if Wentz were to return to the starting lineup after Sunday’s game, Wentz would likely finish with just over 70 percent of the snaps, and the Commanders would have to send the Colts a second-round pick.
If Heinicke starts just once more beyond Sunday, that should push Wentz under the 70 percent threshold, and the Commanders would only have to give the Colts a third-round pick.
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After a frustrating 2021 season with the Indianapolis Colts, Wentz was traded to the Commanders. The No. 2 pick of the 2016 draft lost four of six starts with Washington before going on the injured reserve, tossing 1,489 passing yards and 10 touchdowns against six interceptions.
Coming off the bench for an injured quarterback is nothing new for Heinicke. With Alex Smith injured for the team’s 2020 NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke came on and nearly led his team to an upset over the eventual Super Bowl champions.
Last year, the Commanders signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to serve as their starter. However, a hip injury forced him to miss all but one game. Heinicke wound up making 15 starts for Washington last season, throwing 20 touchdowns against 15 interceptions.
Washington will try to get back above the .500 mark when they visit the Houston Texans on Sunday.
