The Atlanta Falcons have more salary cap breathing room, and Taylor Heinicke gets some guaranteed bread.
The team has restructured the second-year quarterback’s contract, as originally reported by ESPN.com. The move comes as the team tries to make moves to strengthen its roster after hiring new starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. That hire, plus other team hires so far, has eaten into the team’s positive salary cap space.
According to Over The Cap.com, the newly negotiated contract gives Heinicke $1.32 million in guaranteed money in exchange for $4.47 million, most of his $5 million base salary for this year. His $1.32 million roster bonus was converted to a signing bonus. He also no longer has a $40,000 per game active roster bonus on his contract.
This move lowers Heinicke’s cap number to $4.53 million from the previous $8.96 million. The Falcons have more than $7 million in available cap space, according to Spotrac.com.
Heinicke will be one of three on the quarterback staff for the Falcons. Head coach Raheem Morris said recently that Heinicke will compete for whoever the Falcons bring in for the backup quarterback job. Heinicke has one more year on his contract.
Story updated from 4/1/24
