Aug 29, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke (6) in game action against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Minnesota won 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports.
Minnesota Vikings fans relish a good player reunion, and CBS Sports has just that idea for the 2024 team.
The franchise lost rookie passer J. J. McCarthy for the season last week to a torn meniscus, leaving Sam Darnold as the undisputed QB1, with reservists quarterbacks Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Matt Corral waiting in the wings.
And according to CBS Sports‘ Cody Benjamin, Minnesota should explore a trade for former Viking Taylor Heinicke, who currently lives on the Atlanta Falcons’ depth chart behind Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr.
“Three years removed from a spunky full-time gig as the Washington Commanders’ starter, Heinicke’s better suited coming off the bench, though he’s suddenly an odd fit in Atlanta, where the Falcons’ first-round pick of Michael Penix Jr. has left him a distant No. 3 behind Kirk Cousins,” Benjamin wrote and nominated the Vikings a trade landing spot for Heinicke. “His experience (29 career starts) could be more valuable elsewhere as other teams scrounge for last-minute backup help.”
Heinicke started four games as a Falcon in 2023, while Atlanta tabulated a 1-3 record on his watch, with one of the losses occurring versus Joshua Dobbs’ Vikings. Many believe Heinicke would latch on elsewhere in 2024 following the termination of former head coach Arthur Smith, but the 31-year-old stayed put on a discounted deal in Atlanta.
The Vikings discovered Heinicke in 2015 as an undrafted free agent. He later won the QB3 job behind Teddy Bridgewater and Shaun Hill, staying with the Vikings until September 2017. After his Vikings adventure, Heinicke landed with the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, and Falcons. He also had a pit stop in the XFL in 2020 with the St. Louis BattleHawks.
In Minnesota, Heinicke was his own villain. He canceled his chance at stardom with the Vikings because he reportedly kicked a glass door when locked out of a friend’s apartment and sliced up his leg. An odd ordeal indeed, he never took a regular snap for the Vikings and later signed with the Texans in 2017.
Heinicke has started 29 games in his career, tallying 174.6 passing yards per game, with 39 passing touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He was arguably at the peak of his powers during a 2020 playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team led by Tom Brady that eventually won the Super Bowl.
If the aforementioned Darnold encounters an injury and misses significant time, Minnesota may explore a trade for Heinicke or another veteran. In the meantime, however, the club employs Mullens as QB2, and he’s more productive than Heinicke.
Minnesota hosts Atlanta for a regular season game in 109 days.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.