http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...engals-agree-to-six-year-115-million-contract
So this is where we're at, completely over paying for average at best QB's.
So this is where we're at, completely over paying for average at best QB's.
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Andy Dalton contract extension
- Thread starter BigBull17
- Start date
Troy Chapman
Rookie
Not sure they are in a position to do anything else. Andy Dalton is probably better than they alternative.
To think, yesterday he was just a kid from lil ole Katy, Texas.
On one of the long standing best high school teams in Texas.
Troy Chapman
Rookie
Say the team goes to the playoffs and loses the first game again. What is the alternative?
Just discussing the thought process...not saying what is right and wrong. Agreed this is the same position Houston was in with Schaub.
Vinny
shiny happy fan
it's what the market dictates. If there were too many good QB's for teams we would be talking about the opposite dynamic.
PapaL
Loose Screw
That makes him more productive than Tony Romo with a smaller salary.
Then you have to find a way to constantly have a back up plan. I don't think you can win with the Red Rider in the back field. Especially at his money. The beauty of Dalton was his production vs low salary. See also Russel Wilson and pre-extension Kapernick. I just think you will have to always draft a 3-4th round type qb and trade/franchise guys in their last year. Or you get Manning/Rodgers/Brady/Brees and lock them up. Not Flacco/Dalton/Kapernick.
What kind of signing bonus? If it's just $17M for this year, & that's the only guaranteed portion, they're pretty much telling him this is his shot. Show us you're worth that money, or you're gone.
If the Bengals have that kind of cap room, that's fine. Nothing wrong with that & probably won't hurt them past this year if it doesn't work out.
Troy Chapman
Rookie
That's what I am thinking but awaiting final details. $12m signing bonus & $5m roster bonus in 5 days is what I read. Another $4m roster bonus next off season.
Just another note, Dalton's $16m per year is 11th current QB's. Seems about in line.
Update:
$17m guaranteed ($12m signing bonus + $5m roster bonus in 2014).
$4m roster bonus in 2015 on 3rd day of league year.
A lot of escalators built on playing time and playoffs.
Cap hits w/out escalators:
2014-8.9m
2015-$9.4m
2016-$13.1m
2017-$15.7
2018-$16.3m
2019-$16.2m
2020-$17.7m
Team can release after the 2015 season for only $7.2m dead money.
Escalators:
$1M per subsequent year if he plays in 80% of the snaps & reaches the divisional playoff
$500,000 per subsequent year if he plays in 80% of the snaps & reaches the conference title
$1.5M per subsequent year if he plays in 80% of the snaps & reaches the Super Bowl
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
So they're taking him to the dance, but not the alter.
This is where I will get flamed, but Luck is supposedly the next real thing. 2 years, 2 playoff appearances. Beating KC last year was more of KC choking that away then Luck winning it, but everyone thinks he will be a great player in the future.
Dalton has been in the game 3 years with 3 playoff appearances, but has 3 losses in those games. The teams record has gotten better each season, and they have went from 3rd in their div, to 2nd, to winning it last year.
Sure, everyone says it is what you do in the playoffs, but lets take it this way. Peyton was 0-3 in his first 3 playoff games, but it was thought the team around him was the bigger reason of him not winning. Football is the ultimate team sport. Manning and Luck get the benefit from the press, but Dalton is being questioned if he is the right QB for the team and worth the $.
If a QB cannot get you into the playoffs, okay, blast away, but Dalton has and so the team has not won a game, does everything fall on him for that reason..
Comparing apples to apples, Manning was 0-3, and Luck is 1-2...
I think Dalton is a good QB, not great, not elite, but a QB that can get his team to the playoffs in each of his first 3 years, yeah, I'd take him. Anything can happen in the playoffs.....
Dalton has been in the game 3 years with 3 playoff appearances, but has 3 losses in those games. The teams record has gotten better each season, and they have went from 3rd in their div, to 2nd, to winning it last year.
Sure, everyone says it is what you do in the playoffs, but lets take it this way. Peyton was 0-3 in his first 3 playoff games, but it was thought the team around him was the bigger reason of him not winning. Football is the ultimate team sport. Manning and Luck get the benefit from the press, but Dalton is being questioned if he is the right QB for the team and worth the $.
If a QB cannot get you into the playoffs, okay, blast away, but Dalton has and so the team has not won a game, does everything fall on him for that reason..
Comparing apples to apples, Manning was 0-3, and Luck is 1-2...
I think Dalton is a good QB, not great, not elite, but a QB that can get his team to the playoffs in each of his first 3 years, yeah, I'd take him. Anything can happen in the playoffs.....
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
The Bengals have a top-8 roster in the league. They should be getting to the playoffs every year. The reason they are losing is because Dalton has 1 TD and 6 INT's in 3 games and a career playoff QB rating of 56.2.
Meanwhile, Luck plays on a pretty bad roster overall and has still been to the playoffs both years. His numbers aren't great (6 TD's and 8 INT's with a 70.0 QB rating) but his defense has given up 37.0 PPG & 457.0 YPG in those 3 games.
The trick is being able to thread water. Winning helps.
Other than Case Keenum, the league doesn't take the time to develop young talent, you've got to win or you're out.
Brady wasn't that great when he started, he did enough not to hurt his team & in key situations he made plays to keep the chains moving. Pretty much where Luck & Wilson are if you ask me.
But Brady kept working & now, he knows that offense like a well worn glove & he's nigh unstoppable. To the point that he helps his team win a whole lot more than not. He even compensates for several "gaping holes"
If they keep winning, perhaps Dalton, Luck, Wilson, Flacco can become the next Brady. Maybe.
Texan_Bill
Hall of Fame
OH YEAAHHHHH !!!!
Texecutioner
Hall of Fame
This post is so full of fail that its not even funny. Luck had a ton of come backs since joining the NFL, and both years his team wasn't expected to do anything. You are a Texans fan who hates the Colts it sounds like. Discrediting Lucks come back from last season in the playoffs is hilarious. It was one of the best come backs ever in post season history. He lost his best receiver and didnt have a great running game either or a top defense. You can degrade what this kid has done all you want, but it won't change anything that has happened or the fact that he will be slicing up defenses for the next ten or more years. He has already exceeded expectations at this point.
Dalton couldn't carry Manning or Luck's jock strap on his best day. Bengals just kept themselves from winning anything now. The Bengals have been successful despite Dalton. The Colts were successful because of Manning and his receivers. The Colts now are successful mainly because of Luck.
I'm definitely not going to flame you. The thing about Andrew Luck is he shows all the signs of greatness, from the way he prepares, studies film, leads his team, and fully commands the playbook.
And there is one intangible that I always look at that cannot be taught: clutch.
For instance (and read the praise from Bill Belichick):
Remember, his rookie season, he lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions Ravens.
Last season, they lost to the Patriots - in NE - in the playoffs. There is no shame in that, because many teams have done the same over the years.
Comparing losses to the Ravens and Patriots in the playoffs to losing twice to the Texans is simply not a valid comparison, all things considered.
And about that playoff win: in the 2013-14 NFL playoffs, he led the Colts to the second largest playoff comeback in NFL history. (And we all know too much about the first.)
Clutch factor, man. For the record, in two seasons, he has 8 fourth quarter comebacks, 11 game-winning drives.
Think about that for a second.
He is the real deal, and I have no doubt that he will be considered an elite QB at some point in his career. I hate to say it as a Texans fan, but it is what it is when I objectively analyze it as a fan of the NFL.
One day you will laugh that you tried to compare Dalton to Luck. It is the equivalent of comparing Carson Palmer to Tom Brady.
The way I'm looking at it is like this. I'd let him walk before I take a $16M cap hit to keep him on my roster. With a $12M signing bonus & a $5M roster bonus, we're already looking at $7M cap hit for 2014.
His salary will have to be less than $3M for me to feel we've got a "good deal" as a Bengal. Once we get over a $10M cap hit, he had better be in the conversation with Brees, Rodgers, Manning, Brady.
Right now I think of Dalton in that Tannehill group. I'd say Flacco & Ryan, but those guys are way overpaid as well.
Laying it on a little thick there DB. His ability to create & improvise is what keeps him in games because he doesn't have the command of the playbook like a Brees, Rodgers, Brady, or Manning.
No shame in that, he'll most likely get there, but he hasn't shown it yet, not to me.
Depends. If he starts believing his own press, he may never be more than Donovan McNabb (not that that's a bad thing), or Joe Flacco. If he keeps working to get better, it could happen. It's likely to happen, but hopefully Jj Watt & JaDaveon can get him to start second guessing himself.
I was not trying to compare, I was just saying that everyone who thinks that Dalton got too much money for not doing much is not looking at the #'s. I am just going off numbers, that is it...
As for how Luck lost in the playoffs, remember, Dalton lost to Houston 2 times, and both of those years, Houston was actually a damn good team that had a chance at a SB run, so no harm losing to Houston, if Luck gets to say he lost to the eventual SB champs. Remember, I am going on playoff #'s only. Regular season #'s do not matter,as they both have made the playoffs every year they have started. Yes, Luck beat KC last year, again, I say it was more KC choking than Luck winning, as all Oiler fan can attest to vs. Buffalo.
I am not a Indy hater as noted, not even close...nor is Dalton in the same class as Manning, but give this kid a break, with the salaries they way they are now, what do you think he should have received.. 6 years, 80 million. He is a starting QB who has made the playoffs.
As for Tex... I am not bashing Luck at all, don't even see anything in my post that shows I am, I was just saying for all the Dalton haters, that his numbers are in line( playoff ) with those other QB's who are great or will be great, but that Dalton gets no run... Coaches and QB's get run out if they do not make the playoffs, so regardless on who is the reason the team wins or not, fact is with PLAYOFF numbers, those other QB's mentioned were no better than Dalton is now at their same stages of their career. Again, did not compare Dalton to Manning, Luck, Brady or God for that matter, just saying I feel he deserves the $ he got.
Troy Chapman
Rookie
I think the $10m is a little low to compare to those QB's. Considering Brees has a cap hit of $18.4m, Rodgers is $17.5m, Manning is $17.5m, and Brady is $14.8m...all for 2014. Manning and Brees jump up to $21.4m & $26.4m respectively in 2015.
Dalton's cap hit in 2014 is 15th among QB's, and projected to be 17th among QB's in 2015. I think that's pretty well in line with his performance. Dalton's cap hit is below $10m in 2014 & 2015. If he doesn't prove to be the player they expected...then you move on after 2 years. If he performs and gets the team deeper into the playoffs, then he is worth the $13.1m cap hit in 2016.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Not disagreeing with you, just spinning off. Why are those noble losses for Luck but the same losses were proof of absolute abject failure by Schaub/Kubiak?
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
I don't think many people felt like the loss to Baltimore was proof of Schaub/Kubiak being bad at their jobs. Schaub didn't play and the general sentiment seemed to be, that Kubiak did an admirable job considering the circumstances.
Now the Patriots?
We got embarrassed by the Packers with an elite QB at home. A little while later we wear the letterman jackets to Foxboro. Get embarrased by Brady and Belichick. We then proceed to slide out of having homefield advantage.
Then we go back up there and get trounced again by the same team we had just lost to. We were never really in either game. We were completely outclassed.
Then we went 2-14.
I knew we'd never get a superbowl with Kubiak and Schaub after that loss to the Pats in the play-offs. When you get trounced 3 times in one season, twice by the same team within the span of a month or so, it's time to take a hard look in the mirror.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
He hasn't had full control of the play book on each and every snap, but those guys didn't either in their second year. Don't want to speak for DB, but to me "fully commands the playbook" means that he knows and can run all the plays without a problem. There isn't a play that can't be called because he can't run it because he doesn't know it or isn't physically able to do it.
http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99717&highlight=andrew+luck+flip+phone
Don't know him personally, but from everything I know about him I can't see that happening.
Not laying it on thick at all. Read Bill Belichick's words. Read any respected football analyst about Luck. I never compared him to Brees, Rodgers, Brady, or Manning. That is you reading into it. Someday I think he will be there, but it is a far cry from "full control of a playbook" to being compared to the four elite QBs.
WATCH HIM PLAY. He is still young, still has growing pains, but he is showing the same signs that the great ones showed early in their careers.
McNabb evolved in his career. He started off as an athletic QB that relied on his physical ability to make plays into a QB that could scramble to get someone open.
And Flacco was a game manager and the product of a great running game and awesome defense. I think Flacco is way overpaid. I do not think he will ever be elite. He is like Eli or Big Ben in that he can be a good game manager that minimizes mistakes, make the occasional big play, but needs a good running game and defense.
You cannot act like come-from-behind victories happen in a vacuum. Yeah, the losing team certainly bears fault, but the other team still has to make the plays. The Bills came back on the Oilers because they never quit, AND THEY MADE THE PLAYS, on both sides of the ball.
As far as the Texans being Super Bowl runs, give me a break. That's just homer talk.
Dalton lost to TJ YATES!!! You cannot tell me that a TJ Yates team was making a championship run with a straight face. You are drinking spiked koolaide if you really believe all that.
As for KC last year, a team cannot choke unless the other team is making plays and never quitting. You imply that a team can just choke and a win magically happens, but that is far from the truth.
What about all the other comeback victories for Luck that I linked? He is a clutch player, and that, to me, is one of the signs of greatness.
Luck was in his rookie and second year. The Texans had taken, what, 7-8 years to build those teams? Schaub had been here 5-6 years by then? It took Wade to give Kubiak a defense for them to be competitive.
And for Luck, that was with a team that went 2-14 the year before.
I'm not even saying "absolute abject failure", those are your words. But clearly in hindsight, that was the peak of Kubiak's tenure after so many years of mediocrity.
Thanks, man. The bolded was exactly the point I was trying to make.
Admiration (hype) for one and hate for the other.
No more complex than that.
Texecutioner
Hall of Fame
Easy, because Shaubiak had completely fallen apart at the end of that season. Schaub had turned into arguably the worst QB in the league in the last 4 games of the season to where no one hardly gave the Texans a chance to make a run at the time. Kubiak had completely lost the team it seemed like. They stopped blocking for Schaub, the running game wasn't clicking, and that great defense they had became average at best. Kubiak had a team that went undefeated all year that completely tanked at the end of the season going into the playoffs. He had a great ship that sank and he had no idea how to get it going again. That is why it became an epic fail for both of those guys.
Plus, this was like an 8 year HC who had a terrible history of losing and average seasons before that so he had zero to brag on as far as a resume to suggest that he was a post season type of coach that could get things turned around. His history stated that it wouldn't and it didn't. The end of that season was an utter and complete fail. Not to mention the Patriots had already smoked the Texans earlier that year to where they looked like they didn't belong on the same field as them along with the Packers game. When the Texans were in Prime Time games against Elite QB's they got smoked and that told a lot.
The only reason why you would strut some post like this out here at this point in time is because you argued and argued on behalf of Kubiak's alleged greatness for years. Has nothing to do with hate. That's comical at this point and always has been.
You cannot act like come-from-behind victories happen in a vacuum. Yeah, the losing team certainly bears fault, but the other team still has to make the plays. The Bills came back on the Oilers because they never quit, AND THEY MADE THE PLAYS, on both sides of the ball.
As far as the Texans being Super Bowl runs, give me a break. That's just homer talk.
Dalton lost to TJ YATES!!! You cannot tell me that a TJ Yates team was making a championship run with a straight face. You are drinking spiked koolaide if you really believe all that.
As for KC last year, a team cannot choke unless the other team is making plays and never quitting. You imply that a team can just choke and a win magically happens, but that is far from the truth.
What about all the other comeback victories for Luck that I linked? He is a clutch player, and that, to me, is one of the signs of greatness.
You are correct, they did not quit playing and won the game, but most of the blame in my opinion goes to KC.So just playing devils advocate, what if KC won, Luck would be 0-2, not 1-2. As for the SB run I was referring to about Cincy losing to Houston, during the season had Schaub not went down, you cannot tell me at that part of the season Houston did not have a shot at going far into the playoffs, as they almost beat the Ravens in the 2nd round with Yates. As for losing to Yates, I get it, but it is a team, and Houston was a better team, plus Dalton was a rookie. The second year, all Houston had to do was win 1 more game to get home field, and well that did not happen, so Cincy ended up playing a team that was a win away from having HFA. And yes, that blame stays here with the HC and QB. Not sure why the team imploded, but you cannot say that you never thought that during the season the way things were going that you did not think a long playoff run was out of the question.
My point with my post was that Dalton is a good QB, never did I slam Luck or any other QB. Luck is a good QB, but as I have said, playoffs only.... Dalton might not have won any games, but neither did Manning in his first 3 playoffs. Everyone is getting the wrong message...PLAYOFFS... regardless if you win by playing lights out or by luck, you are measured by playoff wins and losses. I am a Giants fan also, and Eli is a good QB, not elite like a lot of homers want to say, but he is a good QB. He has 2 SB victories, but it was the D that won those games for them. Is he a HOF player, I do not think so, but the rings are what will get him a shot at getting in..Remember, as I have said before, I never was comparing Dalton directly to anyone, I was comparing #'s.. So if the opinion of everyone is that Dalton is not a good QB, that is your opinion, but I would be ok if our QB was able to get the Texans into the playoffs 3 consecutive years, not too many other teams can say that!!! As for being a Texans homer, you my friend have me mixed up with someone else.
As far as the Texans being Super Bowl runs, give me a break. That's just homer talk.
Dalton lost to TJ YATES!!! You cannot tell me that a TJ Yates team was making a championship run with a straight face. You are drinking spiked koolaide if you really believe all that.
As for KC last year, a team cannot choke unless the other team is making plays and never quitting. You imply that a team can just choke and a win magically happens, but that is far from the truth.
What about all the other comeback victories for Luck that I linked? He is a clutch player, and that, to me, is one of the signs of greatness.
You are correct, they did not quit playing and won the game, but most of the blame in my opinion goes to KC.So just playing devils advocate, what if KC won, Luck would be 0-2, not 1-2. As for the SB run I was referring to about Cincy losing to Houston, during the season had Schaub not went down, you cannot tell me at that part of the season Houston did not have a shot at going far into the playoffs, as they almost beat the Ravens in the 2nd round with Yates. As for losing to Yates, I get it, but it is a team, and Houston was a better team, plus Dalton was a rookie. The second year, all Houston had to do was win 1 more game to get home field, and well that did not happen, so Cincy ended up playing a team that was a win away from having HFA. And yes, that blame stays here with the HC and QB. Not sure why the team imploded, but you cannot say that you never thought that during the season the way things were going that you did not think a long playoff run was out of the question.
My point with my post was that Dalton is a good QB, never did I slam Luck or any other QB. Luck is a good QB, but as I have said, playoffs only.... Dalton might not have won any games, but neither did Manning in his first 3 playoffs. Everyone is getting the wrong message...PLAYOFFS... regardless if you win by playing lights out or by luck, you are measured by playoff wins and losses. I am a Giants fan also, and Eli is a good QB, not elite like a lot of homers want to say, but he is a good QB. He has 2 SB victories, but it was the D that won those games for them. Is he a HOF player, I do not think so, but the rings are what will get him a shot at getting in..Remember, as I have said before, I never was comparing Dalton directly to anyone, I was comparing #'s.. So if the opinion of everyone is that Dalton is not a good QB, that is your opinion, but I would be ok if our QB was able to get the Texans into the playoffs 3 consecutive years, not too many other teams can say that!!! As for being a Texans homer, you my friend have me mixed up with someone else.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
And Real Estate had a going rate in 2007. It was still overpriced as a sustainable value. These are called price bubbles and QB is in one in the NFL.
Dan B.
Hall of Fame
Wait FEMA is subsidizing poor franchises so they can buy players with money they don't have????
I make no apologies about supporting Kubiak when I did (back in '08/09 when we barely had a winning season) because I felt the team had come a lonnnng way from the mess of a team we had in '05.
And you're right, last year, somehow Kubiak lost the locker room. When that happened it was time for him to go.
But that's not what Cak asked. He asked why Luck's playoff losses were somehow okay and Schaub's were not. Luck is more physically talented. Schaub had more experience. Both guys had fairly solid teams, in fact, I think Luck's team had a nucleus of guys (left over from the Manning/Dungy days) that were used to winning while the Schaub/Kubiak squad, was talented, but were still learning what it took to put teams away. They never did learn how to win when the bright lights came on - and that's another reason why it was time for a change.
Could Marvin Lewis be a reason why Dalton has never won a playoff game?
How long has Lewis been a HC? How many playoff games has he won? I bet he works cheap considering his seniority.
Mike Brown? SMH, I guess he won the gene pool.
How long has Lewis been a HC? How many playoff games has he won? I bet he works cheap considering his seniority.
Mike Brown? SMH, I guess he won the gene pool.
If I didn't think I could get a better QB in the 2015 draft , or that Savage couldn't become a franchise QB, then the answer would be YES.
badboy
Hall of Fame
Then you better hope Savage is all that or the 2015 draft brings something sweet.
Did you think it was a mistake to sign Schaub for a $15M avg salary?
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
He has said many times signing Schaub off of injury was a mistake. It was a $13.2 mil avg.
Showtime100
Got JJ?
I don't think he's going to the SB without a ticket, but I agree with the rest of your post. The contract is for too much and for too long, but who else could they have gotten better than Dalton?
It wasn't lost on Dalton's agent they had the Bengals by the nuts.
Nobody else was going to pay Dalton that kind of money. To say they had no choice... let's just agree to disagree. They could have let him walk. (This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I've got a mancrush on McCarron).
They signed Jason Campbell back in March... hey, if we can make a go at it with Fitzpatrick, they could have toughed it out with Campbell.
xtruroyaltyx
Hall of Fame
I'm not so sure about that. He's still young and has had some success.
There's some QB hungry teams in the league.
ChampionTexan
Hall of Fame
We'll never know for sure, but I believe very strongly this is simply wrong (Think Chandler Parsons, only using NFL QB's).
In fact, had there been a bidding process involved, my belief is that there would have been more guaranteed money involved.
ArmyBengal
Retired Army Medical NCO
Saw the Dalton thread and figured to throw in my two cents as a Bengals fan.
The Bengals didn't overpay for Dalton. Market price for QB's is what it is. If someone doesn't like it, talk to the owners that pay the money. Go to Sportrac and compare Dalton's contract to that of someone like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, or most other starting QB's that aren't working on their rookie deals.
The Bengals can walk away from Dalton in two years if they choose and still be in a good position. Thing is, they won't be. Someone mentioned the Bengals roster being stacked and it is. We aren't talking about a team that will be in position to draft a highly rated QB at the top of the round and anyone that has heard of Mike Brown knows he's not about trading up. This year was only the 2nd time that's happened for the Bengals. Ever.
Dalton's dead money is minimal in comparison and his yearly average is where you would hope it would be considering the lack of post season success. It was also mentioned that this is a team sport and while Dalton has certainly struggled in the playoffs, so has the rest of the team. In three straight years, this top defense has given up yards, plays, and TD's more than at any time during the season.
Can't forget AJ Green, who most think is at least a top 5 WR, dropping passes. What about Gio Bernard fumbling the ball in the redzone against the Chargers last year? There are simply far more things to consider than simply the poor play of Dalton.
This is still a guy that has done things as a QB in his first three seasons that put him in very rare company. He was drafted in the 2nd round, named starter, given a rookie #1 WR, had a 1st year OC that had never coached at that level in the NFL and then had to deal with the lockout that took time away from camps his rookie year.
What happened ?? 9-7, 10-6, than 11-5 with three staight playoff appearances. Holding the single season TD, and passing records for the team isn't all that bad either.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things Dalton needs to improve upon, but to give him another two years is far from a mistake when considering how difficult it is to find a QB capable of even getting you to the playoffs.
How's the QB hunt going for Oakland, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Cleveland ?? Hell, didn't you guys name Fitzpatrick as your starter ?? C'mon now. Be honest. That can't sit well with any Texans fan. I am hopeful that Savage can do something for you though. He reminds me of a young Roethlisberger minus all the raping of women.
Anyway, i'll remain hopeful in what we have in Dalton and glad he's not getting 20 million+ and keeping the team from signing other players. That little fact shouldn't be overlooked either. AJ Green and Burfict are both due here soon and the next two years of free agency is going to be tough for them.
Have a good one.
The Bengals didn't overpay for Dalton. Market price for QB's is what it is. If someone doesn't like it, talk to the owners that pay the money. Go to Sportrac and compare Dalton's contract to that of someone like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, or most other starting QB's that aren't working on their rookie deals.
The Bengals can walk away from Dalton in two years if they choose and still be in a good position. Thing is, they won't be. Someone mentioned the Bengals roster being stacked and it is. We aren't talking about a team that will be in position to draft a highly rated QB at the top of the round and anyone that has heard of Mike Brown knows he's not about trading up. This year was only the 2nd time that's happened for the Bengals. Ever.
Dalton's dead money is minimal in comparison and his yearly average is where you would hope it would be considering the lack of post season success. It was also mentioned that this is a team sport and while Dalton has certainly struggled in the playoffs, so has the rest of the team. In three straight years, this top defense has given up yards, plays, and TD's more than at any time during the season.
Can't forget AJ Green, who most think is at least a top 5 WR, dropping passes. What about Gio Bernard fumbling the ball in the redzone against the Chargers last year? There are simply far more things to consider than simply the poor play of Dalton.
This is still a guy that has done things as a QB in his first three seasons that put him in very rare company. He was drafted in the 2nd round, named starter, given a rookie #1 WR, had a 1st year OC that had never coached at that level in the NFL and then had to deal with the lockout that took time away from camps his rookie year.
What happened ?? 9-7, 10-6, than 11-5 with three staight playoff appearances. Holding the single season TD, and passing records for the team isn't all that bad either.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things Dalton needs to improve upon, but to give him another two years is far from a mistake when considering how difficult it is to find a QB capable of even getting you to the playoffs.
How's the QB hunt going for Oakland, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Cleveland ?? Hell, didn't you guys name Fitzpatrick as your starter ?? C'mon now. Be honest. That can't sit well with any Texans fan. I am hopeful that Savage can do something for you though. He reminds me of a young Roethlisberger minus all the raping of women.
Anyway, i'll remain hopeful in what we have in Dalton and glad he's not getting 20 million+ and keeping the team from signing other players. That little fact shouldn't be overlooked either. AJ Green and Burfict are both due here soon and the next two years of free agency is going to be tough for them.
Have a good one.
If we had a choice between "making a go with Fitz" or signing a young, still teachable, strong-armed QB with winning experience which way would you go?
Before you answer, consider that Dalton is a 3-yr young gun whose teams have finished no worse than 9-7. He has progressively gotten better: rookie year - 9-7, sophomore" year - 10-6, 3rd year 11-5... The year before they drafted him, that was a 4-12 team with Carlson Palmer under center. That kind of performance in a division with the Ravens and Steelers should not be taken lightly.
And you would roll with Fitz or Jason Campbell over Dalton? Seriously??
Troy Chapman
Rookie
I'm still surprised that some think this is a huge deal contract. This is mid-tier level money compared to the better QB's in the league. Cincy guaranteed him $17m..(well $18m and some change counting his existing salary)...but $17m, that's all.
Compared to other QB's, Dalton's cap hit:
2014 - 15th highest
2015 - 17th highest
2016 - 11th highest
2017 - 8th highest
After Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin sign their extensions; Dalton's ranking among cap hits will likely drop down more.
Compared to other QB's, Dalton's cap hit:
2014 - 15th highest
2015 - 17th highest
2016 - 11th highest
2017 - 8th highest
After Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin sign their extensions; Dalton's ranking among cap hits will likely drop down more.