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Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton.
Did the Dallas Cowboys simply ignite a quarterback competitors?
In line with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys on Saturday signed former Cincinnati Bengals beginning QB Andy Dalton to a one-year, $7 million contract, which incorporates $Three million in ensures.
Dalton obtained his strolling papers from the Bengals on Might 30, after the membership drafted former LSU QB Joe Burrow with the No. 1 general decide. Dalton’s launch ended a decade-long tenure highlighted by three Professional Bowl alternatives, but blackened by perpetual mediocrity.
A 2011 second-round alternative out of TCU, Dalton has constantly vacillated between below-average to good as an NFL signal-caller. He’s thrown for over 31,500 yards, 204 touchdowns, and 118 interceptions on 62-percent passing throughout 9 skilled seasons, compiling a 70-61-2 profession regular-season document. He’s by no means gained a playoff sport — 0-4.
Yards-wise, Dalton final yr loved his finest marketing campaign since 2016, finishing 314 of 528 balls for 3,494 yards, 16 TDs, and 14 INTs. He was sacked 37 instances and misplaced 4 fumbles because the rebuilding Bengals tanked to a 2-14 mark.
Cincinnati tried to commerce Dalton this offseason however unsurprisingly discovered no takers, all the NFL world understanding Burrow was coming to city and his predecessor was sure for the unemployment line. No suitors have been keen to give up compensation when Dalton may merely be signed as soon as on the open market.
Suffice it to say, the 32-year-old’s drawn-out divorce wasn’t fully amicable.
“This yr there have been a great quantity of quarterbacks that have been obtainable. I believe it might have labored out in a different way if I had been a free agent when the brand new league yr began,” Dalton informed Bengals.com earlier this week. “I used to be nonetheless beneath contract and that harm me. I’m certain groups knew they have been going to take a quarterback No. 1 and they’d launch me and there was no motive to hurry into something.”
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This sends a clear-cut message to franchise-tagged incumbent Dak Prescott, who’s embroiled in megadeal discussions with the group. It’s one factor to have Cooper Rush stationed behind you; it’s fairly one other to have a three-time Professional Bowler with years of beginning expertise — extra expertise than Prescott.
The job ought to stay Prescott’s to lose, however the Cowboys purchased themselves some leverage within the occasion negotiations get messy. Judging by his pay construction, Dalton will slide in because the No. 2 forward of Rush, who’s now a candidate for launch until Dallas carries three QBs on the 53-man roster (they carried two in 2019).
Jerry Jones and firm, maybe unwilling to cave to Dak, have crowded their QB room. Except for Dalton’s arrival and Rush’s return, the workforce used a seventh-round decide on James Madison product Ben DiNucci, whom Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy in comparison with ex-Rams starter Marc Bulger.
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Comply with Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL