According to Tom Pelissero, the Bengals are benching starting QB Andy Dalton following the team’s bye this week.
Dalton will be replaced by fourth-round rookie QB Ryan Finley as the starter so the Bengals can see what they have over the rest of the season.
The Bengals came into 2019 treating it as a prove-it season for a potential Dalton extension. But Cincinnati is currently winless at 0-8 halfway through the season, and the Bengals are likely eyeing a new quarterback in 2020 with a probable high first-round pick.
Dalton has no guaranteed money left on his deal and the Bengals can save $17.7 million against the cap by trading or releasing him in 2020.
Dalton, 32, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2011. He’s currently in the fifth year of his seven-year, $97.09 million contract, which includes $17 million guaranteed.
Dalton stands to make base salaries of $13.7 million and $16 million over the next two years of the agreement.
In 2019, Dalton has appeared in eight games for the Bengals and thrown for 2,252 yards while completing 60.4 percent of his passes to go along with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.
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