Bengals: Andy Dalton could be waiting for awhile

The idea that Andy Dalton is still waiting to find serious employment in 2020 has to be a surprise to him and the Cincinnati Bengals.

You have to imagine that Andy Dalton didn’t have this current status as part of the plan in 2020. He likely saw himself settled nicely into a new team and having left his former Cincinnati Bengals as a distant memory. Well, not so fast.

Instead, April is upon us. The national sports scene is in upheaval, and Dalton is still part of the Bengals. For how long remains a mystery. What IS certain, is Joe Burrow being the first overall selection in Cincinnati, and Dalton still likely somewhere, anywhere, on the opening day of the 2020 NFL season.

For the better part of the ramp-up to free agency, the conventional wisdom was that Dalton was a prime candidate to replace New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, should he leave. Brady left for what might be greener pastures in Tampa Bay. However, the Patriots chose veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer as a possible replacement. Yes, that Brian Hoyer.

So, what does this have to do with Dalton? A lot actually. The Patriots are the one team that makes sense for Dalton. If New England is going to be a legitimate contender in the AFC East, it’s with Dalton and not Hoyer. Say what you want about the Red Rifle, but he is a quantum leap better than any quarterback on the Patriots depth chart.

The question is, “why the wait?” The money on the contract is certainly a large part of it. But it’s also likely a bit more than that. Teams can now wait, meaning so does Dalton. There is still unemployed talent and a draft to take place. As reputable as Dalton has been, there is no hurry for his services. The possibility he stays in Cincinnati has been floated, but that seems like a significant reach, despite what his most staunch supporters say.

Dalton deserves better than this. Cincinnati should have been more aggressive at the trade deadline in 2019. As good as the Bengals have been since last season ended, they have been woeful in how they handled Dalton.