Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton will not be getting a new contract any time soon.
Although quarterback salaries have taken off since the Bengals signed Dalton to a long-term extension in 2014, Bengals Vice President Troy Blackburn says the Bengals don’t think they need to re-do the deal.
“We didn’t sign the Andy Dalton deal because we thought it was a good deal. At the time it was an expensive deal. It was a heavy lift,” Blackburn said. “We did it because Andy was a winning starting quarterback in the National Football League, he had demonstrated that. We know statistically your best chance of success is by rewarding your own players and maintaining that quality core. That is what drove that. We are certainly aware quarterback deals have evolved since then. We know that at the right time we will have to evolve as well. We don’t think this is the time right now. What we are going to focus on right now is building the best team for 2018 we possibly can.”
Dalton is due $13.9 million this year, which is on the low end for starting quarterbacks who are no longer on their rookie contracts. But with three more years on his deal, Dalton can’t really expect the Bengals to tear up his contract and give him a new one -- especially when Dalton’s passer rating has declined three straight years.
Some day Dalton may get a new deal with the Bengals, but that day will not be this year. And probably not next year, either.