ESPN Insider Shares The Latest On Bengals QB Andy Dalton
CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 11: Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass during the third quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Paul Brown Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Barring a drastic change over the next 11 hours, Joe Burrow will become the next Cincinnati Bengals quarterback tonight, with the first pick in the NFL Draft. He is set to displace longtime starter Andy Dalton.
Dalton, a TCU grad, was the No. 35 overall pick in the second-round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He started immediately, and has missed just eight games as starter since. After the Bengals collapsed this season, combined with the ascent of Ohio native Joe Burrow at LSU, it became clear that his time as Cincinnati starter was coming to an end.
As of now, he's still with the team. It isn't a guarantee that he'll wind up elsewhere, either. He admitted as much in a recent interview, saying that there is "a scenario where he goes back there," even if his starting job is effectively taken away.
With nine seasons under his belt, including three Pro Bowl campaigns, Dalton would be a valuable veteran presence in the quarterback room. Given the uncertainty of the upcoming season, the Bengals would likely welcome him back if things work out financially.
Cincinnati will save just under $18 million on the salary cap if it releases Andy Dalton this offseason. He is entering the final year of a six-year, $96 million deal.
Obviously it doesn't make sense for the team to keep him on for starting quarterback money. There aren't many, if any, QB1 opportunities out there, and if they open, it seems far more likely for Cam Newton or Jameis Winston to get consideration.
Dalton will likely be a valuable veteran backup next season. Time will tell if that is behind Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals, or elsewhere, but it doesn't sound like either side is ready to totally write off that as a possibility.
