Falcons Urged to Shop Former Offensive Starter

Bleacher Report's Ryan Fowler named veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke the one player the Atlanta Falcons should have on the trade block during the 2024 NFL preseason.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke / Bob Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

Bleacher Report's Ryan Fowler named one player from every NFL team on August 14 that should be the trade block this month. For the Atlanta Falcons, the choice was rather obvious -- veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke.

"Looking at teams around the league with questions under center, Heinicke has the skill set and experience (29 career starts) to not only compete but also produce," wrote Fowler.

"It comes with context as the former UDFA out of Old Dominion has a cap on his performance ceiling, but he's gritty, has a knack for making the big play and has proven capable of keeping a team in contention when under center."

Heinicke is an clear-cut choice as a trade candidate for the Falcons because the team added Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. behind center this offseason. Cousins is set to be the team's starter for at least the 2024 season while Penix is viewed as the team's future at quarterback.

Penix had an encouraging first performance in the preseason against the Miami Dolphins. He completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards on five drives. The Falcons offense scored 10 points, including a rushing touchdown from Carlos Washington Jr. with Penix behind center.

Meanwhile, Heinicke struggled, completing only 4 of his 11 attempts for 11 yards.

Heinicke can provide valuable veteran experience off the bench. That's likely why the Falcons brought him back this offseason.

But there's little doubt already that Penix offers more upside. By the end of camp, Penix could be the team's backup signal caller, pushing Heinicke into the No. 3 role.

Even if Penix doesn't earn the backup job, there's a reason not to have Heinicke as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. The third quarterback doesn't receive typical practice reptetitions during the regular season, which wouldn't be ideal for Penix's development.

With Heinicke likely headed for the No. 3 quarterback role in Atlanta, he's a clear trade chip for the Falcons if they desire to acquire depth elsewhere on the roster.