Bengals Make Surprising Andy Dalton Decision
The Bengals made a surprising Andy Dalton decision this week.
On Tuesday, Cincinnati’s player personnel director Duke Tobin sat down with NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport for an interview.
During their conversation, the pair touched on what would end up happening to Dalton, who has essentially been the face of the franchise alongside A.J. Green for the past decade.
“I’ve talked to Andy individually,” he said.
“I can tell you one thing, what Andy Dalton’s done for the Cincinnati Bengals is not something that we’re going to forget. And we are not just going to willy-nilly make something happen with him that a.) he is uncomfortable with and b.) we’re uncomfortable with.”
#Bengals exec Duke Tobin tells RapSheet + Friends about his plans for QB Andy Dalton: “When decisions start to get clarified and made, I’ll be in contact with him. I want him to feel good about the outcome of this, as well as us.” More at 25:00: https://t.co/yGplUseycG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2020
Based on Tobin’s tone, it seems clear that the end of the road has come for Dalton and the Bengals.
Cincinnati has the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and is reportedly enamored with Heisman winning LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow.
This seems like the optimal point in which to hit the reset button and acquire a new franchise cornerstone.
Dalton has repeatedly stated over the past year that he does not want to be a backup. His ideal situation is being a starter somewhere.
There are multiple teams in the NFL who will need a veteran quarterback by the end of the offseason. The Chicago Bears, in particular, have been linked to Dalton repeatedly over the past few months.
The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers may also have vacancies, based on what Tom Brady and Philip Rivers decide to do.
Barring something completely unforeseen happening, it appears a virtual lock that Dalton will not be in a Bengals uniform come next season.
Where will he ultimately end up? Time will tell.
Related: Jaguars Make Sudden Coaching Change
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
