Who Should I Start? Nick Mullens or Taylor Heinicke

Thursday, August 15, 9:45 AM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens will start Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Despite a challenging 2023 season where he went 0-3 with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions as a starter, Mullens is now firmly positioned as the No. 2 quarterback. Following him on the depth chart is second-year pro Jaren Hall. Head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed confidence in Mullens due to his solid grasp of the offense. Mullens is known for his high-risk, high-reward style and had notable success during his time with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Vikings. Though he tends to turn the ball over, with 31 career interceptions in just 20 starts, he also boasts 34 touchdown passes. Last season, after Kirk Cousins' injury, Mullens had mixed results in five games (three starts), with a respectable 8.8 yards per attempt but eight interceptions. Mullens is a veteran with the potential to deliver strong performances, particularly if he maintains his solid rapport with star receiver Justin Jefferson.

Wednesday, August 28, 8:22 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers are acquiring quarterback Taylor Heinicke from the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick. Not only is starting quarterback Justin Herbert (foot) recovering from plantar fasciitis in his foot, but backup Easton Stick regressed in training camp and the preseason. The 31-year-old Heinicke will be an upgrade at the QB position behind Herbert entering the regular season next week. In Atlanta, the Falcons were expected all along to try and trade Heinicke after taking rookie Michael Penix Jr. in the first round in April. Heinicke made his NFL debut back in 2017 with the Houston Texans and has appeared in 38 games (29 starts) since then with four different teams. His best year came in 2021 with Washington, when he threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 picks on 321 pass attempts over 16 games (15 starts).