Tuesday morning, the Cincinnati Bengals made news when they decided to bench longtime starting quarterback Andy Dalton. They also did so on his 32nd birthday. As it turns out, Dalton was not a fan of this move and actually tried to get sent to another team.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dalton revealed that he wasn’t happy to be benched in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Additionally, the former TCU QB also clarified that he wished the move had happened prior to three hours before the trade deadline. This would have given him and his agent time to evaluate the landscape of teams and potentially facilitate a trade to somewhere he could start.
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“I don’t agree with the decision, but I’m going do everything I can to help the team,” Dalton said to reporters, per Paul Dehner of The Athletic.
Even without having time to swing a trade, Dalton and his agent are now aware that they will be on the hunt for a new team following the end of the regular season. There are some potential options, such as the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, or Tennessee Titans. Although making a trade happen could rely on compensation sent to the Bengals, as well as an agreement that the veteran would receive a new contract. Dalton will only have one more year left on his current six-year contract.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed to reporters that this is a permanent move. He told those gathered that “you never want to put a time table on these types of things” and that it is critical to evaluate the rookie. The Bengals plan on giving Finley the chance to prove that he is the future.
Considering that this team is 0-8, it’s very likely that the Bengals will have a top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. They are only one of two winless teams in the NFL, along with the Miami Dolphins and could remain in that position depending on the play of Finley. The Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and Washington Redskins all have one win and could be in play for a top spot in the draft.
That being said, the Dolphins and the Bengals do play each other in December, so one of those two teams will have to come away with a victory. Although a tie is possible.
If the Bengals ultimately land a top-five pick next year, they will be in prime position to either select one of the top quarterbacks, or they could potentially trade down with another needy team and accumulate even more picks. These next eight games will provide Finley with the opportunity to show that Cincinnati does not need to select a signal-caller for the second consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Andy Dalton will simply bide his time and wait for the season to end in order to find his new home.
(Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty
