ANDY DALTON, RELEASED by the Cincinnati Bengals after nine years as a starting quarterback, agreed terms on a one-year NFL contract with the Dallas Cowboys over the weekend.
The Cowboys, who announced the deal in a Saturday night website posting, have a starter in Dak Prescott, who will make $31.4 (€28.7) million in the 2020 season after being named the team’s “franchise” player in March.
Dalton, who lives in Dallas and was a star at nearby Texas Christian University, would be a major upgrade as a backup over Cooper Rush, who has thrown only three passes in three seasons behind Prescott.
The Cowboys want to sign a long-term deal with Prescott, one that could make him the NFL’s top-paid passer, by a July 15 deadline.
32-year-old Dalton, whose new contract is worth a minimum $3 (€2.74) million, completed 2,757 of 4,449 passes for 31,594 yards and 204 touchdowns with 118 interceptions in nine seasons with Cincinnati.
The Bengals, first-round playoff losers in Dalton’s first five seasons, have endured four losing seasons since, including last year’s league-worst 2-14 campaign.
That flop led Cincinnati to draft college star quarterback Joe Burrow with the top overall pick and set up Dalton’s release on Thursday.
The Cowboys have not won a Super Bowl, or even reached a conference final, since taking their third NFL title in four seasons in the 1995 campaign. They went 8-8 last season, missing the playoffs for the third time in five seasons.
Prescott, 26, has guided the Cowboys for four seasons, going 40-24 as a starter.
Interesting move by cowboys, certainly part tactical move by Jerry Jones to gain leverage against Prescott, if talk of him holding out joining up with team until last minute before start of season to get contract sorted are true, while he would have gotten away with that and walked straight into starting spot with last year’s backup I could see him struggle if Dalton has a full training camp and pre season.
Surprised the Patriots didn’t pick him up, especially at that price. Shrewd move by the Cowboys though, gain some leverage on Prescott.
He’ll be better than Prescott at the Cowboys given the chance, and he wont have to wear that god awful Bengals uniform anymore
@Ollie Ryan: the uniform.that looks 100 times better than the brownes uniform ?
Nah but seriously he is a fantastic back up and I agree I think he could be/have been better than Prescott
@Ollie Ryan: it’s nice to have another browns fan about. Ya I think Dalton is decent and Bengals offence and defence never helped. Great signing.
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: I thought I was the only one
@Colm Connolly: unlike The Browns, The Bengals have all the ingredients there to make a classy uniform, but it’s an eye sore
@Colm Connolly: You do know where the Bengals got their colours from?
@Ollie Ryan: haha ya , I have to day thou for years I preferred the Bengals jerseys but that white jersey the browns have now looks pretty sharp or at least as sharp as a browns jersey can
@Ollie Ryan: im on an island here but i think the Bengals and browns have the best helmets and unis in the league
@Ollie Ryan: no I’m just hoping baker can turn into the QB I think he can be. I like his story. See if he can overcome this adversity next!