The word out of Indianapolis is that the Bears are looking to add an experienced veteran quarterback to challenge starter Mitchell Trubisky.
The closer we get to free agency, the more talk of the Bears quarterback situation permeates the conversation in Chicago’s offseason.
That’s only ramped up with all 32 teams under the same roof at the NFL Scouting Combine, where there’s as much focus on impending free agency as there is on the prospects they’re there to watch.
The word out of Indianapolis is that the Bears are looking to add an experienced veteran quarterback to challenge starter Mitchell Trubisky, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Strong sense here in Indy the Bears will be adding established veteran QB to push starter Mitch Trubisky, likely looking for pedigree and extensive starter's experience.
The news doesn’t really come as a surprise, as general manager Ryan Pace indicated as much during his Scouting Combine press conference Tuesday. That, and Pace put off considering exercising Trubisky’s fifth-year option until the May deadline.
“We believe in [Trubisky], we support him and we’re going to be better around him,” Pace said. “But I think competition brings out the best in everybody.”
And sometimes the most obvious thing is simply the best and ends up working out.
Dalton to the Bears makes too much sense on a ton of levels. Here’s a primer for such an idea.
Bengals get…
This feels like a second-round-pick-or-bust scenario. After all, the Bears have two second-round picks and nothing else in the 2020 draft worth noting.
While that’s a steep asking price for a veteran passer, the Bengals are in a safe position to ask it. If Chicago fancies itself a contender, why wouldn’t it pay up to go get the missing piece? And even if Dalton bombs in the Windy City, he’s a one-year rental.
The Bengals have the luxury of sweetening the pot too. They can offer to eat some of Dalton’s $17.7 million cap hit in the move, securing a second-round pick. If not, maybe they settle for picks in future drafts.
Dalton gets…
A shot at a Super Bowl.
No, seriously. The Bears are a year removed from winning 12 games and just went 8-8 in a division that sent two teams to the playoffs.
That team just got 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions from Mitchell Trubisky. Yet, Dalton would get to work with an offensive mind in Matt Nagy and a great-looking supporting cast headed up by David Montogomery, Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller. Don’t forget the Khalil Mack-led defense.
If the Bengals want to do right by Dalton, shipping him to this situation certainly fits the bill.
Bears win too…
This all applies to the Bears too. Coughing up a second-round pick or whatever they end up agreeing to — and perhaps going on to contend — would be getting off lightly for taking Trubisky over…Patrick Mahomes.
A quality quarterback changes everything and besides the most important position of all, the Bears look good.
The hiccup…
The quarterback market this year could cause the Bengals some problems. We’re talking about these potential free agents, if not trade candidates:
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Dak Prescott
Philip Rivers
Teddy Bridgewater
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Ryan Tannehill
Cam Newton
If Chicago wants to call Cincinnati’s bluff that it won’t just up and cut Dalton to clear his cap hit, it can comfortably do so and still get an upgrade at the position. The Bengals need to decide quickly how much they want to ask for or risk getting nothing at all.
Does it happen?
Maybe? The Bengals have very clearly been signaling through the media that they’re open for business on the Dalton front. Duke Tobin’s “hey whoa, we’d keep Dalton next year” stance made that pretty clear. They’d like to get something of value from Dalton’s departure but risk not playing ball well enough (they don’t do this often). As long as Cincinnati “settles” for any sort of compensation at all, this one could very well happen. It’s safe to presume the two sides could have laid out some groundwork while in Indianapolis this week.
Ryan Pace insists that Mitchell Trubisky will be Chicago’s starter in 2020. But that hasn’t stopped him from looking at veteran QB options.
General manager Ryan Pace maintains that Mitchell Trubisky will be Chicago’s starter in 2020. But that hasn’t stopped him from looking to bring in a veteran quarterback this offseason to challenge Trubisky.
According to The Athletic‘s Paul Dehner Jr., the Bears have had discussions with the Bengals about a potential trade for veteran Andy Dalton. The Bengals are expected to draft Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick and are working with Dalton to find him a new home. And that could potentially be in Chicago.
If Tom Brady does bolt the Patriots as many believe will happen, that produces two very logical suitors in trade talks for Dalton. The first and most obvious is the Bears, who have been in touch with the Bengals on the topic. If looking to give “competition” to Mitch Trubisky, Dalton would be just that. His contract is a decent number, but it’s digestible when you have Trubisky still on a rookie deal.
Dalton would provide insurance for a Bears team that still believes they can get something out of Trubisky. Much like the Titans brought in Ryan Tannehill to compete with Marcus Mariota last season. When the Titans had realized they had to move on from Mariota, it was a seamless transition to Tannehill, who ignited the Titans offense en route to the AFC Championship Game.
When you look at it, bringing in Dalton would be an ideal situation. He’s an experienced veteran that can both challenge and teach Trubisky. And if Trubisky doesn’t pan out, the Bears could turn to Dalton for the remainder of the 2020 season.
While the Bears would have to take on Dalton’s $17.7 million contract in 2020, they wouldn’t be tied to him longer than one season, which is more than you can say for some other veteran options in free agency.
But of course everything has a cost. According to The Athletic‘s Lindsay Jones, Dalton could cost teams as much as a second- or third-round pick. And Pace has to ask himself if trading one of his second-round picks would be worth it.
Even if Dalton doesn’t wind up in Chicago, the Bears will be looking to bring in a veteran signal caller. While that doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of also drafting a young prospect, Pace has made it clear that the Bears will be looking to bring competition to all positions. And that includes quarterback.
One of the obvious potential Andy Dalton destinations has come up.
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Of the possible Andy Dalton trade partners for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, the Chicago Bears seem to make the most sense.
The initial work on such a deal might be slowly getting underway at the scouting combine this week.
Tucked into a great, wide-sweeping breakdown of Cincinnati’s quarterback position, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes the Bears and Bengals have been in contact:
“The first and most obvious is the Bears, who have been in touch with the Bengals on the topic. If looking to give ‘competition’ to Mitch Trubisky, Dalton would be just that. His contract is a decent number, but it’s digestible when you have Trubisky still on a rookie deal.”
Chicago indeed makes sense after Mitchell Trubisky again struggled to trend upward after the Bears spent big assets to draft him.
Those Bears have two second-round picks this year and nothing else major to offer in this year’s draft. New England — given the relationship between Mike Brown and Bill Belichick — makes sense as a potential Dalton trade partner too, should the unthinkable happen and Tom Brady leaves Foxboro.
Both Chicago and New England would enable Bengals brass to do right by Dalton in shipping him to a potential contender looking for a veteran quarterback to lead the charge.
The Bengals could play a risky game trying to get too much.
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The idea of getting back a second-round pick for Andy Dalton sounds spectacular from a Cincinnati Bengals perspective.
But it might be a little too rich.
From a Bengals perspective, Dalton sounds worth such a return. He’s one of the better available veterans this offseason, he’s been nothing but a great representative for the team and city, holds many records, it goes on and on.
But from another team’s perspective, Dalton is over the age of 30 and represents a one-year rental at a cost of $17.7 million. With no guaranteed money left, he could just as easily be cut and available on the market without sacrificing any assets via trade.
Which makes rumors of Dalton’s value rough sledding. Lindsay Jones of The Athletic, for example, cites an NFL general manager who suggested Dalton could command a second-round pick (was this general manager named Duke Tobin?).
That sounds great. And maybe in a normal offseason, it would be a sure thing. But consider some of the options teams have available to themselves this offseason via free agency and trade:
Tom Brady
Drew Brees
Dak Prescott
Philip Rivers
Teddy Bridgewater
Jameis Winston
Marcus Mariota
Ryan Tannehill
Cam Newton
Obviously, some of these names aren’t leaving their current teams and chatter around them is just leverage in negotiations.
But the point stands. Unless a team really falls in love with Dalton as the guy, they’ve got other options. And if the Bengals hold out for the best possible compensation, they run the risk of overplaying their hand as this passer-rich offseason fills all the vacancies and they’re left with merely cutting Dalton.
And keep in mind they want to do right by Dalton — cutting him after all the other vacancies fill doesn’t do that for a guy who still wants to start in the NFL.
Meaning, the Bengals have painted themselves in a corner. Teams know they can cut Dalton and will ultimately have to in order to shed the cap. Teams also know the unique approach in Cincinnati wants to do right by their former franchise passer.
So while reports of a big-time pick in the second round sound fun, the only way that happens is if the Bengals agree to eat a massive portion of Dalton’s contract during a trade.
Maybe that’s what ultimately happens — but the Bengals run a big risk by playing this game for too long during this particular offseason.
Will the Bengals trade Andy Dalton this offseason?
Tuesday belonged to Joe Burrow, with Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin also making appearances at the combine.
While it was Burrow’s day, one other name naturally came up — Andy Dalton.
Dalton figures to be the odd man out when the Bengals make Burrow the first pick near the end of April.
Unless the team holds on to him.
Per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, “Tobin wouldn’t rule out Dalton returning to the club this season.”
But that’s impossible, right? That would mean carrying Dalton as a bridge starter or a backup at a price tag of $17.7 million. It would mean going back on the idea that the Bengals want to do right by Dalton as he leaves the team.
This is likely just posturing in order to not dash trade value when the time comes. Trading Dalton is going to be tricky. Other teams know the Bengals will take Burrow. They also know there isn’t a cent of guaranteed money left on Dalton’s deal, so they could just wait until the Bengals cut him instead of coughing up assets via trade.
Even so, Dalton figures to leave either way. But it’s interesting to hear at this stage of the process the team hasn’t eliminated the idea of his return, even if it’s for the sake of going through the motions to not give away their plans publicly.
The talk of the Bears offseason has been what’s going to happen at QB, and Chicago has been named a possible landing spot for Andy Dalton.
The talk of the Bears offseason has been what’s going to happen with the quarterback situation. While starter Mitchell Trubisky figures to be back for 2020, there’s no guarantee that he’s going to be Chicago’s starter.
General manager Ryan Pace has publicly backed Trubisky as the Bears’ starter for the upcoming season, but we all know Pace’s actions speak louder than his words in instances like these.
Regardless, the Bears will be looking to bring in a veteran quarterback to challenge Trubisky, and pretty much every name — from pending free agents to quarterbacks on the trading block — have been mentioned in conjunction with Chicago.
One veteran that has been linked to the Bears is Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, who figures to be departing Cincinnati as they’re expected to draft Heisman winner Joe Burrow.
Bleacher Report believes Chicago is a prime landing spot for Dalton:
The outlook won’t be hopeless if Dalton enters the fray, though. In fact, considering the Bears limped to an 8-8 mark in an NFC North that sent two teams to the playoffs, the upside is tremendous.
Dalton wouldn’t hurt for weapons. David Montgomery flashed out of the backfield as a rookie in 2019, and running back Tarik Cohen caught 79 passes. Receiver Allen Robinson II flourished in head coach Matt Nagy’s attack (1,147 yards, seven scores), and Anthony Miller looks to have No. 1 upside. Don’t forget the star-studded defense.
The Bears would have to give up assets to get Dalton to town. But it would be an instant-turnaround sort of move that all parties could be happy about.
Reports have suggested that Dalton wants to go to a team where he can start. Although he might not have a choice with a rich free agent quarterback market.
Perhaps Dalton will land in Chicago, where he’ll at least have a chance to compete with Trubisky for the starting job under former Bengals offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.
Andy Dalton’s season with the Bengals didn’t rank well.
The Cincinnati Bengals cruise toward a quarterback change alongside Year 2 of Zac Taylor.
It’s clear now the relationship between the Bengals and Dalton has run its course, with Joe Burrow seeming like the first pick in the draft.
Looking back at that 2019 campaign, it turns out Dalton’s efforts ranked 30th among all quarterbacks, per the composite rankings via NFL.com‘s Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Gennaro Filice and Dan Parr:
Bhanpuri: If Dalton is indeed out after nine seasons as the Bengals’ QB1, I think he showed enough in spurts to generate some low-level trade interest in the coming weeks. That said, the franchise could do right by its all-time passing touchdown leader and cut him loose to let him decide his own future.
That’s tied for 30th out of 57 passers to start a game in 2019.
And Dalton’s season was indeed a mess. The brutal surroundings and change along the coaching staff didn’t help. Dalton wound up getting benched so Taylor could see what the franchise has in Ryan Finley before going right back to him.
That’s not the storybook ending either side of the relationship wanted, but it’s the one they’re getting — barring something unexpected. To their credit, the Bengals intend to do right by Dalton on his way out the door, which could involve some noteworthy trade candidates.
Could Andy Dalton go to the Pats in this scenario?
The idea Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton could end up on the New England Patriots in place of Tom Brady is one of the more popular offseason theories so far.
Peter King of NBC Sports just made this argument while playing connect-the-dots between the Patriots and Bengals should the former lose Brady:
I’ll preface this by saying none of this logic matters if Bill Belichick has already decided he wants to start a new era that doesn’t include a 43-year-old quarterback who makes a lot of money. Belichick might want to begin anew with a quarterback he feels is good and who costs significantly less—someone like 32-year-old Andy Dalton; the Patriots would probably have to pay a third or fourth-round pick for Dalton, who has a year left on his contract and no future in Cincinnati. (The Patriots have two thirds and two fourths, including a likely third-round compensatory pick.) If Belichick makes up his mind that it’s time to move on from Brady, then my argument is moot. Dalton, by the way, would be my pick to start in New England next year if Brady goes. Belichick would love Dalton. He’s a quiet, intense, lunchpail Texan who makes no excuses. And Dalton would embrace the Patriot ethos.
We’re still a long way out from finding out if this hypothetical gains traction. But it’s yet another reminder that the happenings in Foxboro — as well as everywhere else — are of critical import to the Bengals this offseason thanks to the Dalton dynamic.
It’s the harshest part of the NFL year: When teams cut over-priced veterans.
Haven’t had time to catch your breath since the end of the 2019 NFL season? Well, too bad. We’re already just a month out from the start of free agency, and with a stacked group hitting the open market in March, teams across the league will be trimming the fat off their rosters over the next month in order to free up cap space (cuts actually began last week, with the Redskins getting rid of Josh Norman and the Ravens jettisoning Tony Jefferson.)
Some of the cuts could include some big-name players who will only add to this year’s crop of free agents. We’ve picked out 20 players who could be on the chopping block over the next few weeks…
1. Andy Dalton, QB Bengals
Cap savings: $17.7 million
In most offseasons, the Bengals would be able to get something of value in return for a solid starting QB like Dalton. But with a number of veteran passers hitting the market, this isn’t one of those offseasons. It’s essentially a lock that Joe Burrow will be Cincinnati’s starting quarterback next fall and Dalton has no dead money remaining on his deal. He’ll have a new home in 2020.
2. Olivier Vernon, DE Browns
Cap savings: $15.5 million
A year after trading an all-pro guard for Vernon, the Browns may have to move on. While Vernon was productive in his first season in Cleveland, the production did not match the price. He’s slated to cost the Browns $15.5 million in 2020, but none of that money is guaranteed. Maybe the front office can find a team desperate enough to trade for Vernon but it’s unlikely.
3. Sammy Watkins, WR Chiefs
Cap savings: $14 million
We tend to underrate the importance of Watkins to the Chiefs offense, as his ability to beat man coverage on the perimeter helps to open things up for Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, but I don’t know if the value he provides is worth $21 million, which will be his cap hit for the 2020 season. If Kansas City can’t find a trade partner, they may have to just cut Watkins loose for nothing in return. Well, except for an extra $14 million in cap space, that is.
4. Everson Griffen, DE Vikings
Cap savings: $13.1 million
Before the Vikings cut Griffen, they’ll likely shop him around and see if they can get anything back in a trade. He’s on the downside of his career but remains a useful pass rusher. Just not a pass rusher worth the $13.9 million it would cost Minnesota to keep him.
5. A.J. Bouye, CB Jaguars
Cap savings: $11.4 million
After a good start in Jacksonville, Bouye’s production has declined and he’s coming off his worst season with the Jags. With only $4 million in guaranteed money left on his deal and a 2020 cap hit of nearly $15.5 million, Jacksonville has no choice but to move on. If the front office can’t find a trade partner, Bouye will likely be released.
6. Janoris Jenkins, CB Saints
Cap savings: $11.3 million
The Saints could very well want Jenkins back in 2020 but not at $11.3 million. With no guaranteed money left on his deal, Jenkins doesn’t have any leverage. If he wants to stay in New Orleans, he’ll have to agree to a paycut. Otherwise, he’ll find himself on the open market this offseason.
7. Prince Amukamara, CB Bears
Cap savings: $9 million
While it’s hard to just part ways with a reliable starting corner like Amukamara, the Bears are strapped for cash, and the veteran’s price tag is a bit steep. There could be interest if Chicago puts him on the trade block but teams know he doesn’t have a future with the Bears.
8. Dont’a Hightower, LB Patriots
Cap savings: $8.8 million
We know Bill Belichick doesn’t do the whole sympathy thing. Hightower was a great player for him for a long time, but he’s on the downside of his career and the $8.8 million the Patriots could save by releasing him would help the team bring back Tom Brady and find him some weapons to work with. Hightower could very well return to New England at a lower price after testing the open market.
9. Jordan Reed, TE Redskins
(AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Cap savings: $8.5 million
We can officially stop with the “if healthy” qualifier on Reed. He just completed his sixth season in the NFL and has yet to start more than nine games in a year. After scoring 11 touchdowns and earning a monster extension in 2015, Reed has found the end zone just 10 times over the last three seasons. It’s time for Washington to cut its losses and move on with an extra $8.5 million to spend this offseason.
10. Alec Ogletree, LB Giants
Cap savings: $8.3 million
The Giants are nearly off the hook for the awful trade they made during the 2018 offseason in which they gave up two picks for Ogletree. You wouldn’t know it by looking at his contract, but Ogletree has been one of the worst linebackers in the league — maybe THE worst — over the past few years. He was also one of the highest-paid players at his position. That will no longer be the case.
11. Jimmy Graham, TE Packers
Cap savings: $8 million
The days of Graham being an elite receiving threat have long passed. Graham has stayed healthy in Green Bay, but he’s averaged just 46.5 receptions, 541 yards and 2.5 touchdowns over the last two years. Those are mid-level starter numbers. But, with an $11.7 million cap hit in 2020, Graham is still being paid like a top tight end. The Packers can save all but $3.7 million of that by cutting the former star.
12. Tyrone Crawford, DT Cowboys
Cap savings: $8 million
The Cowboys could see Crawford’s $9 million price tag as reasonable for a player who has proven productive when healthy. But with Dallas needing to re-sign Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper and Byron Jones this offseason, it’s going to be hard to just pass up on the $8 million it can save by parting ways with Crawford.
13. Trent Murphy, OLB Bills
Cap savings: $8 million
Murphy has been solid when he’s been able to stay on the field. But he’s missed a lot of time and has a big cap hit for a player who doesn’t make a meaningful impact. The Bills have more pressing needs and the $8 million they can save by cutting Murphy could go a long way.
14. Kiko Alonso, LB Saints
Cap savings: $7 million
Alonso is coming off his best season in years, but once again ended up on IR. Between his injury history and inconsistent track record, it’s hard to see the Saints holding onto Alonso with an $8.7 million cap hit.
15. Damon Harrison, DT Lions
Cap savings: $6.8 million
It’s always hard to justify spending a lot of money on a run defender, even one as good as Harrison once was. But the big defensive tackle’s play slipped in 2019 and he’s on the wrong side of 30. With a pivotal offseason ahead for Detroit’s front office and coaching staff, they could surely use an extra $6.8 million to help build the roster.
16. Mohamad Sanu, WR Patriots
Cap savings: $6.5 million
Hindsight is 20/20 but even at the time, the Patriots trading a second-round pick for Sanu reeked of desperation. And after Sanu struggled to fit in with the offense, cutting ties looks like the smartest move for an organization that could have to cough up a lot of money to get its quarterback situation settled. Cutting Sanu wouldn’t cost the Patriots any dead money while freeing up $6.5 million.
17. Delanie Walker, TE Titans
(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Cap savings: $6.4 million
Not too long ago, Walker was one of the NFL’s best tight ends. But after a few significant injuries, that is no longer the case. And the Titans have an exciting tight end prospect in Jonnu Smith ahead of him on the depth chart. Unless Walker agrees to a pay cut, his days in Tennessee are likely numbered.
18. Jerick McKinnon or Tevin Coleman, RB 49ers
Cap savings: $4.5 million or $4.9 million
One’s gotta go. The obvious choice appears to be McKinnon, who has yet to play a game with the 49ers after signing a big contract two years ago. But cutting him would also come with a $4 million cap charge, while cutting Coleman would leave no dead money left behind. So keeping McKinnon and cutting Coleman would save the 49ers an additional $500,000 in cap room. Of course, the 49ers could just cut both and save nearly $10 million. That’s probably the best move.
19. Stephen Gostkowski, K Patriots
Cap savings: $3.9 million
That’s right, people. We’re cutting kickers! Gostkowski is one of the league’s highest-paid kickers and is coming off the worst season of his career. The $3.9 million New England can save by cutting Gostkowski is higher than the 2020 cap hit of all but eight NFL kickers. Belichick has moved on from more important players for less money.
20. Devonta Freeman, RB Falcons
Cap savings: $3 million
The Falcons do not get criticized nearly enough for the contract they gave Devonta Freeman in 2016, which was immediately followed by a sharp decline in production. Freeman is only 27 but he looks five years older than that on film. He’ll carry a $9.3 million cap hit into 2020, and Atlanta would have to eat $6 million of that to part ways. As bad as that sounds, the Falcons could really use that extra $3 million in cap space this offseason.
