Commanders' Heinicke: Starting not an option due to Wentz's contract
Washington Commanders backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke said he doesn't think he has a chance of beating out Carson Wentz for the starting job this year due to their respective contract situations.
"I don't think that's an option," Heinicke told reporters Wednesday. "You look at the NFL, and at the end of the day, it's a business. If you're paying someone $30 million and you're paying someone else $2 million, you're paying this guy $30 million to play, you know?"
He added, "Carson's a great quarterback, and you see it through OTAs and minicamp. And I hope he goes out there and succeeds. And again, my job is just to back him up. Hopefully, he's on his deal, I help him out in whatever way I can, and if for some reason he goes down, I'm ready to go play. That's how I look at it. But, again, the NFL's a business. You're paying a guy a lot of money, you're paying him money for a reason. He's gonna go play."
Wentz is set to earn $28.29 million in 2022, according to Spotrac. The 29-year-old played his first five NFL seasons in Philly before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2021. The Commanders acquired Wentz and a pair of draft picks from Indy this offseason in exchange for three draft selections.
Heinicke is set to make $3.63 million this season as part of a two-year, $4.75-million deal he inked in 2021.
The Colts went 9-8 last season with Wentz under center and missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, Heinicke took over Washington's starting role after Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered an injury in Week 1. Heinicke, who also missed one game due to COVID-19, logged 16 appearances last season, including 15 starts.
| 2021 stats | Comp.% | Yds | TDs | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wentz | 62.4 | 3563 | 27 | 7 | 54.7 |
| Heinicke | 65 | 3419 | 20 | 15 | 39.9 |
"You go out there and practice like you're the starter," Heinicke added. "The NFL is crazy, everyone gets hurt. In any given play, your number is gonna be called, so you just have to make sure that you're ready."
Wentz has battled injuries throughout his career, including a foot ailment that sidelined him during training camp last year.
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