Adam Schefter reports that the Cowboys are signing former Bengals’ QB Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth up to $7 million that includes $3 million guaranteed.
This comes as a bit of a surprise, considering that Dallas has Dak Prescott clearly entrenched as their starting quarterback.
Ian Rapoport reports that the signing of Dalton has nothing to do with Prescott, who has been franchised and yet to agree to a long-term deal with the Cowboys. According to Rapoport, Dalton simply prefers to be back in Dallas the Cowboys could use solid backup for the 2020 season.
Dalton had been linked to the Jaguars, Patriots and Jets since becoming available. Of the three, the Jaguars seemed like the team to watch for Dalton, considering that his former offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is running the team’s offense.
Instead, Dalton opted to take a one-year contract and return to Texas.
Dalton, 32, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2011. He was entering the final year of his seven-year, $97.09 million contract, which included $17 million guaranteed when Cincinnati cut him loose.
Dalton stood to make a base salary of $17.5 million in 2020 when the Bengals opted to release him on Thursday.
Dalton will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021.
In 2019, Dalton appeared in 13 games for the Bengals and threw for 3,494 yards while completing 59.5 percent of his passes to go along with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 27 receiver out of 37 qualifying players.
We had him included in our Top 100 Available 2020 Free Agents list.
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