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It has been clear since the middle of last season the Cincinnati Bengals would end up looking to trade Andy Dalton.
There, new Bengals head coach Zac Taylor benched longtime starter Andy Dalton in favor of a rookie he drafted, Ryan Finley. Dalton was angry about it. Since the offseason started, the Bengals have made it clear multiple times — at the combine and otherwise — that Dalton is available.
Which is what makes a report from ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Saturday interesting.
The report isn’t new news by any means. But it could signify the Bengals playing the leverage game.
The Bengals had reportedly been in contact with the Chicago Bears about a Dalton trade. Dalton’s agent was reportedly working with the team on trades too.
So a Saturday “report” here could signify a few things. It could mean talks with the Bears fell through. It could also mean talks are ongoing, but applying outside pressure could be a way to force Chicago into offering better compensation.
Either way, Dalton is gone. The team’s website has even openly said the front office plans to offset the A.J. Green franchise tag cap hit by losing Dalton’s $17.7 million cap hit, which isn’t guaranteed.
This might not be the last time a “report” about the Bengals trading Dalton goes public. But keep in mind the deadline to tag Green is Monday, barring a change to the league year at the last second.
Mark notes about a Dalton trade this weekend down as expected — it’s crunch time.
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