At some point winning games may actually be bad for the Cincinnati Bengals. Because winning just enough and squeaking by to edge into the playoffs has continually masked a problem.
It goes by the name of Andy Dalton. As the embarrassing performances pile and the quarterback continues to limit the production of an otherwise talented offense, the Bengals need to ask an important and simple question.
How much longer should Dalton be a starting quarterback in the NFL? The answer: at most one more season.
They arrived at their Dalton problem honestly, and they managed the quarterback position this past offseason as well as they possibly could. Dalton was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and his future as a trustworthy NFL arm at the time was confusing. He routinely posted fine regular-season numbers before soiling himself in the playoffs against the highest caliber of NFL competition (one touchdown pass and six interceptions over three playoff starts).
So he was given a six-year extension worth $96 million. Every time he throws an interception anyone with access to a keyboard is quick to remind you Dalton makes nearly $100 million, even though that’s a filthy lie. Dalton isn’t worth $96 million, and he’ll never be paid $96 million.
He’s worth $17 million, which is how much truly guaranteed money he received . Only 17.7 percent of Dalton’s contract is guaranteed. For perspective, 49.1 percent of Aaron Rodgers’ contract is locked up.
If Dalton is still on the roster as of the third day of the new league year next March he’ll receive another $4 million. I’m dragging you through the basic financial details of the Bengals’ commitment to Dalton to show it’s not a commitment at all. They can escape from under his wicked spell with little monetary pain.
If his current play continues that option and discussion will grow. Dalton’s problem with the highest class of NFL competition isn’t going away. No, it’s getting worse.
A week ago he was historically horrible, lacking any touch or ball placement whatsoever on downfield passes during a key divisional loss to the Cleveland Browns. His contributions to the box score of that game seem like a cruel joke.
He finished with only 86 passing yards at a pace of 2.6 per attempt. His 30.3 completion percentage was the worst single-game mark in franchise history. And it was just the fifth time since 1960 a quarterback posted a passer rating of 2.0 or lower.
Maybe you would like to shrug that off as one particularly hot dumpster fire. If that’s the case, please direct your attention to Week 7. Against another playoff-bound team (Indianapolis Colts) Dalton spiraled again, completing only 47.4 percent of his passes at 3.3 yards per attempt.
Over the Bengals’ last four games—two of which have been losses—Dalton has thrown only two touchdown passes. On the season he’s thrown eight with nine interceptions.
With the contract they gave him the Bengals told Dalton he’s good, and sometimes even great. But he’s not worthy of a significant commitment now. He’s shown potential and enough of it to be secured. If he wants to earn more of his pay-as-you-go contract Dalton’s development needs to continue, with that potential cashed in.
Instead the opposite has happened now through just over half a season. Dalton has regressed, making poor reads and even worse throws. But that leads us to another question: if not Dalton, then who?
Veteran journeyman Jason Campbell is Dalton’s backup, and he’s not the answer. Behind him A.J. McCarron is a project who may or may not be groomed into starting material over time.
Given what we’ve seen recently from Dalton when the temperature of a game rises, the Bengals’ true franchise quarterback isn’t on the roster yet.
