The Falcons will have Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix as their top two quarterbacks. Will they keep a third?
Taylor Heinicke is hoping.
“I would love to be a part of the Falcons,” Heinicke said after the Falcons’ final preseason game Friday, via Terrin Waack of the team website. “I think this is probably the best roster I’ve been a part of when you look at it from top to bottom. I think [head coach Raheem Morris] is building something special here, and I would love to be a part of it.”
Heinicke went 8-of-17 for 81 yards in the 31-0 preseason loss to the Jaguars in the final preseason game and finished the preseason 20-of-44 for 206 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Heinicke, 29, has experience, starting 29 career games, including four for the Falcons last season.
Last year, the Falcons had Desmond Ridder, Logan Woodside and Heinicke on their active roster. Woodside was the team’s emergency third quarterback all season.
The new rules, allowing for a practice squad elevation on game day to fill the role as the emergency third quarterback, make it less likely teams carry three quarterbacks on their active roster.
“It’s one of the most stressful times,” Heinicke said. “It’s really the worst time of the NFL for all these guys, just kind of not knowing where you’re going to be.”