Former Vikings QB raising a few eyebrows over in Washington

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke is apparently keeping himself in the running to be the starting signal-caller for the Washington Football Team.

In 2016, current Washington Football Team quarterback Taylor Heinicke was heading into his second season with the Minnesota Vikings. At the time, some felt Heinicke could have beat out Shaun Hill in training camp to earn the Vikings‘ backup quarterback job behind Teddy Bridgewater.

But shortly before the start of Minnesota’s training camp in 2016, Heinicke knocked himself out of the backup competition when he kicked through a door and severed a tendon in his foot.

He got another chance to win the Vikings’ backup job in 2017, but the role ultimately went to Case Keenum. Since then Heinicke has bounced around the NFL and not much was heard from him until last season when he helped Washington almost pull off an improbable playoff upset over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback emerging as a possible starter for the Washington Football Team

Just as Minnesota has been doing, Washington has been holding their OTA practice sessions during the last few weeks.

Apparently, Heinicke has been making the most of his opportunities in these practices. Most have assumed that Ryan Fitzpatrick will open the 2021 season as Washington’s starting quarterback, but that’s starting to seem like less of a guarantee.

This is what NBC Sports Washington’s Pete Hailey recently said after seeing Heinicke in OTAs during the last few weeks.

"“My biggest impression [from minicamp] is that Taylor Heinicke might not be the one-hit-wonder we all thought he was. [Ryan] Fitzpatrick is still the starter as of now, but [Heinicke] can play, and it’s not just because Tampa Bay had no idea who he was.”"

After that impressive performance in the playoffs against the Bucs, Washington signed Heinicke to a new two-year contract this offseason. This current deal he has with Washington could end up paying him up to $8.75 million.

In addition to locking up Heinicke for another two seasons, Washington also signed Fitzpatrick in free agency to a one-year contract worth $10 million. Fitzpatrick spent the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins and if he opens the 2021 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback, they will be the ninth team in the NFL that he has started at least one game for.

However, it sounds like there might actually be a bit of a competition for Washington’s starting job during this summer’s training camp according to Hailey. At the age of 28, could Heinicke beat out Fitzmagic emerge as Washington’s Week 1 starter?