Cincinnati Bengals: 3 ways Andy Dalton in December could impact 2020
By Steve Rivera
Before head coach Zac Taylor reinstated Andy Dalton as the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, the pathway to the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft looked to roll through the Queen City. That could still happen, in fact, it’s more likely than not, but if win totals get to three, four, or even five wins, the draft becomes a significantly different scenario.
If a team like the 3-9 Miami Dolphins lose out, and Cincinnati wins out or goes 3-1 over their last four games, the top pick is gone. That means no Joe Burrow, the current and most likely quarterback to go before anyone else. This is, regrettably, the cost of winning, if you want to call it that.
Entering Week 14, teams like Miami, the 3-9 Redskins, the 2-10 New York Giants, and the 3-9 Falcons look to be teams playing bad enough to make a run to the top of the draft order.
With the Bengals at 1-11, and until Week 13, never having shown much of a pulse, odds are still good that Cincinnati has as good of a chance as anyone to lockup a player like Burrow or Young. Then again, if Dalton and this team find a hot streak, all bets are off with who their first pick is in the NFL Draft next spring.