Andy Dalton signed with the Chicago Bears back in March. A one-year deal worth $10 million. This came with a simple assurance. He was going to be their starter for 2021. Nothing more and nothing less. He probably didn’t have an intention of helping the team eventually land his future replacement. Dalton is a competitor after all and would prefer to turn this opportunity into something more long-term.
Yet sometimes the football fates are in motion long before people realize it. The Bears had designs on drafting another quarterback as early as last year. Matt Nagy openly admitted his desire for Justin Fields began even before the 2020 draft. So Dalton arrived far too late to change any minds. However, that didn’t stop him from serving a vital purpose. Not so much with his play or conduct as a leader.
Merely thanks to his presence.
How so? Tyler Dunne of Go Long explained in his recent column. Most believe the primary reason Chicago signed Dalton was insurance. They didn’t want to get caught with no quarterback in case their pursuit of Russell Wilson failed. This is true, but only part of the bigger picture. As it turns out, the Bears also planned to use the veteran as a bargaining chip in their efforts to move up in the draft.
Without Dalton’s presence, one league source puts, the Giants would’ve taken the Bears to the “woodshed.”
“Imagine doing that when all you have is Nick Foles — you’re in trouble,” he says. “They could say to teams, ‘We’ve already committed to Dalton as a starter so what you’re asking for is too rich. We can’t do it.’ Where before, if it’s Nick Foles, it’s ‘Bro, I’m going to take you for f—— everything you’ve got. We all know you’re not going into the year with that because you’ll get fired by Week 3.’ It’s just reality.”
By signing Dalton, the Bears at least gave themselves a little bit more credibility at quarterback. They made it possible to come across in negotiations as somebody that wanted to move up but wasn’t desperate to. That was the vital key. It enabled them to finagle a deal with the New York Giants that cost them a 5th round pick and future 1st and 4th round picks. While expensive, it isn’t nearly what it could’ve been.
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Andy Dalton contributed to the Bears before stepping on a field
If Fields ends up being the franchise guy Chicago has desperately sought for so many years, then Dalton deserves special consideration. Thanks to his track record and credibility, the Bears were able to sell him as a serviceable starter they could fall back on. Pace used that as clever camouflage for the feverish pursuit of their true prize in the draft. In the end, they got their guy and did so without mortgaging too much of the future to do it.
Now Andy Dalton has a chance to build even more equity in Chicago. This by giving Fields enough time to acclimate to the NFL level by sitting on the bench. The more games Dalton starts and plays reasonably well, the longer the rookie gets to sit and learn. At the same time, it can be mutually beneficial. Playing well this year could lead to Dalton landing a starting opportunity elsewhere in 2022.
A win-win situation.
Dalton is a professional. He’s handled this entire matter with the utmost class. One of the big reasons he is so hard to dislike. Some Bears fans would rather just go with Fields right away. In truth, he’s earned an opportunity to do what he came here to. Win some football games in 2021. His presence alone possibly changed the future of the franchise. The least we can do is give him a chance to elevate his stock further.
