The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to finally cut ties with longtime quarterback Andy Dalton after not being able to move him via trade. Is this the right?
Out with Andy Dalton and in with Joe Burrow.
The Cincinnati Bengals announced they have released Dalton on Thursday, April 30. While it is no shock the Bengals have been trying to move Dalton, it was starting to seem like keeping Dalton was their best option. Pairing their No. 1 draft pick and new franchise quarterback Burrow with Dalton as a mentor seemed like a good solution. Especially, during an offseason limiting time with teammates due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic yielding self distancing.
“We have released QB Andy Dalton. Andy has not only been an outstanding player on the field, but a role model in the Cincinnati community for the last nine years,” the Cincinnati Bengals Twitter account tweeted. “Thank you for everything, Andy.”
The Bengals will now have to lean on Burrow being ready to assume the role as an immediate starter without the help of a quarterback mentor. Burrow will have his work cut out for him. He’s going to have to learn the system fast and find a way to get acclimated with his teammates quickly once they hit the field.
The Bengals could have used this opportunity to give Burrow something Dalton didn’t have. A mentor. In 2011, Dalton was drafted to the squad and immediately given the keys to be the Bengals starter. That offseason quarterback Carson Palmer had held out and threaten to retire if he wasn’t traded so it made sense trading away Palmer.
Dalton on the other hand, he was placed on the trade block and teams were not biting. Cutting Dalton this late in the offseason puts him in a bad position to link up with a team. Especially when most, if not all, starting roles are off the table. The Bengals could have done both the organization and Dalton a favor by keeping him for one last year. A year where he could have been a backup for his beloved franchise and been a mentor to their future quarterback. It seems like Dalton would have been understating if that was the case.
“I truly believe they want what’s best for me, but I understand it’s a business, and you know how that goes,” Dalton told NFL Network earlier this month, in regards to his uncertain future.
Now, it looks like Dalton will more than likely have to be a backup elsewhere for the 2020 NFL season.