The Saints weren’t done signing quarterbacks when they brought Jameis Winston back.
Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton has agreed to a one-year contract with the Saints, with $3 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $6 million, according to multiple reports.
Winston is still the favorite to be the Saints’ starter this season, but it’s unclear whether the ACL injury that ended his 2021 season after seven games will be fully healed in time for him to play in Week One. So Dalton’s presence gives the Saints a reliable backup who may have to start, at least early in the season.
The 34-year-old Dalton spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Bengals, then spent one year with the Cowboys and one with the Bears. He joins a quarterback room that also includes Ian Book and Blake Bortles behind Winston on the depth chart. Book and Bortles will likely compete for the third-string job with Winston No. 1 if healthy and Dalton No. 2.