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Could non-NFL forces push the Cincinnati Bengals into keeping Andy Dalton as a mentor piece for Joe Burrow?
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is an unexpected wildcard in this process for the Bengals as they make a rare transition under center.
And with the draft already restructured and offseason dates in limbo, the idea the Bengals could keep Dalton to help guide Burrow and the team through this unsteady time is an increasingly popular one.
Jeremy Rauch of Fox 19 asked Zac Taylor this very question and the Bengals head coach offered a notable response:
“That’s one of the options you keep on the table for those very reasons. We’re in a position right now where Andy’s under contract and we just want to make sure we’re making the best decisions for the club.”
A note from The Athletic’s Jay Morrison added further context: “Again, we just take it on a week-to-week basis because no one in this world can make any predictions on what … We were supposed to start our offseason program on April 20. We still are not clear on if that’s going to happen or not.”
There’s always the matter of money to consider here. The Bengals spent huge cash in free agency and probably wouldn’t mind getting Dalton’s $17.7 million hit off the books.
But consider the coronavirus situation plus the usual hurdles of offloading a quarterback an odd tandem potentially having a big impact.
Not that keeping Dalton would be the worst outcome imaginable. He’d easily be the best backup in the league. He’d be a Kitna to a Palmer. And he’d still be an incredible trade chip in training camp right on through to the trade deadline if a contender gets desperate after an injury.
In uncertain times, even the idea of letting Dalton walk via trade or release isn’t so certain.
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