Washington Starting QB Taylor Heinicke In Week 2

According to Jeremy Fowler, Washington QB Taylor Heinicke will be the starter for the Football Team in Week 2 against the Giants. 

Washington plays New York on Thursday night, so it’s a short turnaround that would have been hard for starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to make regardless. 

The team is still waiting for results on tests on Fitzpatrick’s hip injury to see how long he’s out but it’s expected to be for three weeks at least after the veteran was placed on injured reserve. 

Fowler adds Kyle Allen will be the backup quarterback. 

Heinicke, 27, wound up signing on with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion back in 2015. He managed to make the 53-man roster during his rookie season but wasn’t active for a single game.

The Vikings elected to waive Heinicke with an injury designation coming out of the preseason in 2017 before eventually cutting him loose with an injury settlement.

Heinicke had brief stints with the Patriots and Texans before being claimed by the Panthers. Carolina released him coming out of the preseason in 2019 and he signed on to Washington’s practice squad late in 2020. He signed a two-year, $8.75 million extension with Washington this offseason. 

In 2020, Heinicke appeared in one game for Washington and completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 22 yards.

In a 31-23 wildcard loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, Heinicke completed 26-44 passes for 306 yards, a touchdown and an interception, adding 46 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries.