Tough times look to have befallen longtime Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. A bad offensive line and a bad three years may be a sign that time for Dalton is running short. A dismal performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t help, as he finds himself on a team who is closing in on an evaluation period that may have him on the outside looking in.
That’s how it goes. I’m not saying Ryan Finley is the heir apparent, but the likelihood is someone else may be taking snaps with the first team this time next year. As 2019 begins to wear into the heart of the Bengals schedule, Dalton may eventually be the odd man out.
That is still down the road. Week 5 presents another opportunity to get that first win Cincinnati is absolutely desperate for.
Most interesting is that the better story on Sunday is Bengals fans seeing what the future of quarterback in the NFL looks like. Despite a 0-3-1 record, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will be the quarterback all eyes are on. He’s a player that despite the dysfunction in Arizona, is a likely rising star.
Dalton is playing on borrowed time. Win or lose in Week 5, he’s a quarterback likely playing elsewhere in 2020. For the Bengals, he’s become a veteran placeholder. For that reason, in addition to an 0-4 record, he’s an easy “sell.”