Though the Cincinnati Bengals want to do right by veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, it sounds like the front office is still a long way removed from figuring out what it wants to do.
In a callback to the Carson Palmer days, there is always a scenario where the Bengals try to keep Dalton around as a mentor for Joe Burrow or whichever quarterback they decide to bring aboard.
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com noted it sounds like Dalton getting used as a bridge quarterback and mentor to Joe Burrow or otherwise is still on the table.
Comments from Duke Tobin, the de-factor general manager, seemed to confirm:
“It all depends what’s best for the team…
…But no decision has been made. He’s under contract for next year and he’s a valuable NFL football player and he’s incredibly valuable to us for what he’s done over the years. It’ll be a process as we go through that. We’ll see what opportunities come up.”
Of course, Dalton himself could throw a wrench in any sort of mentorship plan regardless of contract.
While Dalton was nothing was but professional last season when a new head caoch benched him in favor of a rookie Ryan Finley, he was also very public in noting he wished the team had made a decision earlier so he could seek out a trade.
In other words, Dalton still wants to be a starter in the NFL and both he and his reps could push back on staying on as a backup behind the scenes.
While it’s only mid-January, it’s hard to ignore the potential intrigue here.
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