Don't Bitch...

[Neophyte]

Heinicke signing with Atlanta is a net loss for this team - not in terms of production at the QB spot but in terms of character and leadership. There are a lot of physically gifted guys playing QB but not many of them have Taylor's intangible qualities. On the balance of total skills, I very much doubt that our next backup QB will be his equal.

While I recognize there were issues with Taylor's play, I still feel he wasn't done any favors with the playcalling. A QB in today's NFL is only given so much control and Taylor had even less than most.

I felt at the end of the season that while both the team and the player said most of the correct things, the only way he would be back in a Washington uni in 2023 was if he had no other options and I wasn't sure those other options would come his way. I was wrong and I think we can infer by the fact that he got snapped up well before a number of other FA QBs, that he is viewed in a better light by many in the NFL than maybe we had previously thought.

I hope the coordinator in Atlanta appreciates him and uses him in a way more fitting to his talents (if he ends up playing).

I also hope we as an organization don't regret letting him get away.

 

[Chris]

When Taylor Heinicke is your best QB option, as he was last season, you are an XFL team. Just sayin.

There are only three certainties in life. Death, taxes, and Washington will need to field multiple QBs every season. The remaining available options are mostly a bucket of crab bait and I seriously doubt that Brissett, Mariotta, Bridgewater, Rush, etal will sign for less than Taylor received from Atlanta. Matt Ryan, who is not only done but done-done, and the recently retired Chad Henne? Beyoch please.

Unless Taylor wanted to move on, his departure was a penny wise and pound foolish decision.

 

[Boone]

Only quibble I have with your comments is that the team likely viewed reigning in his propensity to leave the pocket as saving him from himself. He was reckless and he also coughed the ball up quite a bit with contact. There were games he was so beat up he could barely play. Just sayin’ it may have been that vs. ignorance of what made him more effective.

 

[Boone]

When Taylor Heinicke is your best QB option, as he was last season, you are an XFL team. Just sayin.

There are only three certainties in life. Death, taxes, and Washington will need to field multiple QBs every season. The remaining available options are mostly a bucket of crab bait and I seriously doubt that Brissett, Mariotta, Bridgewater, Rush, etal will sign for less than Taylor received from Atlanta. Matt Ryan, who is not only done but done-done, and the recently retired Chad Henne? Beyoch please.

Unless Taylor wanted to move on, his departure was a penny wise and pound foolish decision.

Is that really in question? He had his former coach out there beating on Rivera and Washington for ‘how he was treated’. He clearly knew those comments were going to be made and you don’t bless that if you have any desire to stay.

Honestly, for being a guy who always said the right things, that was a little passive-aggressive to me. Part of becoming a pro QB is accepting things like being benched, especially when your play has been shaky. To hear him say it, he wanted Howell to play but we all know that was a) probably the direction the team was moving with or without his blessing, and b) more than a little ‘I’m taking my ball home and you can play without it’ sulking.

In the grand scheme of things, it was this team and staff that gave him his chance - not one other NFL team wanted him. So I think that reflected a little immaturity on his part no matter what he ‘said’.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I think as fans we need to realize that this organization is still a mess and players know that was well. Since Gibbs retired the first time, free agents were known to come to Washington to get paid. The mid 90s had a lot of those too and it only got worse when Snyder took over. So for almost 30 years, DC was where you go to get paid, not to win. The players drafted and developed by this team see the same thing. They see the mess for their first 4 years and want to get out. Until there is new ownership and the hiring of a successful front office and coaching staff, I expect most players to leave when their contracts are up. It’s just how it’s going to be. We are pissed as fans, but what about the guys going through this mess whose jobs it affects? They see it firsthand and live it. Unless a player is released or traded, or the coaches say they don’t want that guy (didn’t Gibbs say that about Ramsey), I expect every player leaving does so because they want out of the mess. Heinicke is no different. Holecomb (other thread), I see as the same. Scherff, Settle, Ionadis, the list goes on and on.

I am excited that guys like McLaurin, Allen, and Payne are sticking around. I am hopeful that the tide is at least changing direction to where guys want to stay and build something special. But I believe most guys just want to get away from the mess no matter how much the team or the fans want them to stay.

 

[Chris]

Only quibble I have with your comments is that the team likely viewed reigning in his propensity to leave the pocket as saving him from himself. He was reckless and he also coughed the ball up quite a bit with contact. There were games he was so beat up he could barely play. Just sayin’ it may have been that vs. ignorance of what made him more effective.

With Heinicke inserted due to Wentz’s injury, Ron had to protect himself Fromm true disaster.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

So is this where we get our free Incessant Bitching shirts? Asking for a friend

I don't expect the offense to be great this year, I don't expect it to be top 10, I don't think we'll have fixed enough holes on the O-line to make that jump. I do expect we can score more than 19 freakin points per game with better play calling, a QB who has shown he can throw it deep without floating it (sample size is miniscule I know) and hopefully no 7 step drops at our own 3 yard line. We are a defensive team (need some LB's) but that's the only thing that kept us competitive the past 2 seasons, if we can have an offense that scores 24 on average we'll be in good shape (maybe give us a blowout win, maybe, it'd be nice). I would wager 90% of my bitching last year was directed at Turner, and 10% on the players, Turner is gone. So now I will bitch about something else, I dunno, like our less than average kicker.

 

[Boone]

The thread title was just tongue-in-cheek. We’ve had every reason in the world to bitch. I think the message is, we wanted change - well, we’re getting a ton of it.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

The thread title was just tongue-in-cheek. We’ve had every reason in the world to bitch. I think the message is, we wanted change - well, we’re getting a ton of it.

Which is why the question arises, so exactly how long after these changes have taken effect can we start bitching again??

 

[Boone]

Immediately if it makes you feel better

 

[SkinsOrlando]

My only bitching at the moment is how my tenured staff can all of sudden turn into the mental aptitude of a piece of a chalk.

 

[Knightingale]

Just to pitch in on the Heineke debate.

Sad to see him go, but can't argue with the whys. I LOVE the guy. I have his shirt and it's probably my favorite to where, but he wasn't a true Starting caliber QB. Not one that could take us far. Team lit on fire when his spark was added, but you could see by the Giants games that that fire was starting to burn low. I wish we still had him as a back up, but honestly I'm fine with him walking. I think in many ways it takes some pressure off Howell with the fanbase.

As for the Offense moving forwards (and the team really)... While the Win/Loss total hasn't really shown it (which to be fair I think I'd lay blame at the QB position for holding us back. That and some terrible OC choices) I think this team HAS moved forward over the Rivera era. We're more professional on the field, we've got some nice skill players across the board, the defense is on an upward trajectory. We're not there yet, but I think turning around the Supertanker that is the Dan Snyder years was going to take a while.

Like Boone, I think Howell is going to be pretty good. I don't know if he'll be in the elite QB class of the league, but I liked the look of him last year. I like that we sat him a year to learn rather than dropping him in at the deep end and watching him sink. With an improved O-Line, with Chase back to being what he was in his Rookie year (fingers crossed) and with some above average QB play, I think the Commanders become a serious threat in the NFC. A lot of IFs in there, but I'm optimistic.

 

[SilentThreat]

Apparently Heinicke told the Atlanta media that he was set to come back to Washington, and Atlanta swooped in at the last moment giving him more mone... FWIW.

 

[MikefromOH]

That doesn't help lol

 

[SilentThreat]

That doesn't help lol

I just pass on what I see...

They wanted him here.. he wanted to be here. I'd be really interested in what we offered him. If he left for an extra $100K... that's interesting. If we were offering $2.5M a year and he left for what he did... can't say I blame him.

 

[MikefromOH]

I know...it doesn't help me try to fool myself in to thinking the team knows what they're doing.

 

[SilentThreat]

Here's a little more from Taylor

 

[Chris]

So…the Falcons swooped in?

 

[Boone]

I mean, maybe that’s true but it contradicts what his own Allie’s have been saying to the media. I think it’s more likely both sides decided to move on and this is just face saving stuff.

 

[MikefromOH]

I don't know why he would lie. He has nothing to gain from it. He was very loved here, but we all get it's a business.

With this organization and how so sloppy they are with running things I think the safe bet is they didn't secure him.