Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Bengals have finally decided it’s time to deal Andy Dalton. Just what can Cincinnati get for its former franchise quarterback?
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Cincinnati Bengals have finally decided that it’s time to trade Andy Dalton. Now officials need to quickly gauge what the veteran quarterback is worth in this offseason’s trade market.
The blueprint for the Bengals is fairly obvious. The franchise will almost certainly draft Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft. He’s a premium prospect who’s ready to step in and play early in his rookie campaign. Don’t be surprised if Cincinnati makes him its starter when Week One arrives.
That’s why the team is now “open to listening to trade offers” on Dalton. Frankly, it’s something the franchise should have done the minute they secured the No. 1 pick in the draft. Now their front office needs to play catch up. They must come up with a suitable deal for Dalton quickly if they don’t want to see all of their potential trade partners make other arrangements in free agency.
It’s imperative the Bengals understand they aren’t going to get a massive haul in exchange for Dalton’s services. At best, he presents other teams with a veteran who might emerge as a decent starting quarterback over the next few seasons. He lacks any measure of real upside. Teams interested in Dalton will largely view him as a player who can operate their offense professionally if their projected starting quarterback falls flat on his face.
That doesn’t mean Dalton won’t have value in the trade market. The Bengals might reasonably hope to get a third-round pick in exchange for the 32-year-old signal caller. Anything else would represent a significant overpay by the team looking to bring Dalton to town.
Cincinnati’s best bet will be to make a trade where their draft compensation increases if Dalton hits some performance incentives. Agreeing on the front end to a fourth-round pick that might rise to a second-round selection if Dalton becomes a team’s starter would represent good business for the Bengals.
Look for Cincinnati to move quickly to secure a deal for Dalton if it’s being reasonable regarding his trade value. The Bengals can’t afford to wait too long if they want to swing a good deal, and they must be willing to accept something in the neighborhood of a third-round pick for Dalton if they want to maximize his trade value.