Who Should I Start? Taylor Heinicke or Lamar Jackson

Tuesday, April 2, 2:21 PM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke took a pay cut recently from an expected $5 million base salary in 2024 to $1.21 million, according to Roster Management System. His $1.32 million roster bonus, which was due just after the league year began last month, was instead classified as a signing bonus. His $40,000 per game active roster bonus was also removed from his contract. The reduction in his deal lowers Heinicke's salary cap number from $8.96 million to $4.53 million, including a cash value of $2.53 million. If Atlanta were to release him, he would cost $3.32 million in dead money with only a cap savings of $1.21 million. The 31-year-old got a chance to start in 2023 when Desmond Ridder was benched, but Heinicke did nothing to separate himself and also got hurt. He'll enter 2024 as the backup to starter Kirk Cousins.

Saturday, January 20, 8:18 PM

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson exhibited his MVP potential in the 2023 Divisional Round, accumulating 252 yards and four touchdowns, including 100 rushing yards in the team's 34-10 victory over the Texans. Despite initial skepticism about his postseason performance, the former MVP emphatically led the Ravens' offense down the field. Jackson's scoring on the first two drives of the second half led to a strategic shift to an ultra-run-heavy approach, tempering his passing statistics for the day. As the AFC's top seed, the impending title game will be at M&T Bank Stadium against either the Bills or Chiefs presents a challenge, with both teams ranking in the bottom 10 in points allowed to quarterbacks. Nevertheless, Jackson is anticipated to deliver robust numbers as the linchpin of the entire offense.