Andy Dalton has parlayed his one year with the Dallas Cowboys into a new starting opportunity with the Chicago Bears. The free agent quarterback will reportedly sign a one-year, $10 million deal to return to the American midwest with a new team.
After nine seasons as the starting QB of the Cincinnati Bengals, Dalton joined up with the Cowboys last year to be the veteran backup to Dak Prescott. But after Prescott’s season-ending injury in Week 5, Andy ended up starting nine games and made a good showing overall.
Clearly the Bears, who are letting Mitch Trubisky leave in free agency, think that Dalton could bring a stabilizing presence to their offense.
$10-$13 million is hardly big money in the world of quarterbacks but it’s more than you give a backup. It says Chicago is at least open to Dalton as their 2021 starter and are perhaps giving him the inside track to the job.
Dalton showed in 2020 that he can be an effective game manager, and even occasionally explosive, with offensive weapons. The Bears will need to add some more to their offense if they expect Andy to improve on their 8-8 record from last year.
This departure will leave the Cowboys with unproven players like Ben DiNucci, Garrett Gilbert, and Cooper Rush as the next men up behind Prescott. However, free agency hasn’t officially started yet and there are plenty of ways Dallas could add more talent if desired.
Whoever winds up as QB2 for the Cowboys in 2021 we now know it won’t be Andy Dalton. We wish him well with his next team, so long as they don’t meet Dallas in the playoffs.
