Dalton quickly inks deal with Cowboys
DALLAS – May 2, 2020
Two days after being released by the Bengals, Andy Dalton is coming home, as he will sign a one-year contract with the Cowboys. Dalton, a native of Katy, Texas, is guaranteed $3 million, and that the deal is worth up to $7M.
Dalton’s decision to shun other perceived opportunities elsewhere, with New England and Jacksonville, to join a team with an established starter in Dak Prescott certainly is noteworthy. Prescott is presently in contract negotiations with the Cowboys after having the Franchise Tag applied to him earlier in the Spring.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, citing an informed Dallas source, the signing of Dalton has nothing to do with Prescott. Rapoport added that both sides see the union as a win-win; Dalton gets to fulfill his desire to return to his homestate and the Cowboys march into next season with a strong backup in case of injury.
Of course, the speculation surrounding what this could mean for Prescott’s future likely won’t subside until he signs his new contract.
In the meantime, it didn’t cost the Cowboys much to make a smart investment at the position by adding Dalton — a perennial QB1 with 133 career starts under his wing — to a room that included only Prescott and Cooper Rush.
From the moment he was released, chatter surrounding Dalton’s next destination intensified. Now, he’s a member of a revamped Cowboys team that is looking to make just as much noise on the field in 2020 as they have this offseason.