Former Cowboys and Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is expected to sign a one-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bears, a source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday. He will have the chance to earn another $3 million in incentives.
Dalton, 33, started nine games for the Cowboys in 2020 and threw for 2170 yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowler (2011, 2014, 2016) spent his first nine seasons as the Bengals' starting quarterback.
GO DEEPER
What Andy Dalton's own words say about the Bears' plans at quarterback
GO DEEPER
Starting Andy Dalton, potentially trading Nick Foles and more: 5 Bears takeaways
GO DEEPER
Bears fans already dislike new QB Andy Dalton before he's even played a game
GO DEEPER
By adding Andy Dalton, Bears entrench themselves in QB purgatory
GO DEEPER
Is Andy Dalton an upgrade over Mitch Trubisky? Unpacking the free agency QB moves
GO DEEPER
NFL free agency updated Big Board: Trai Turner, Richard Sherman and the top unsigned players
GO DEEPER
NFL free agency signing grades: Bucs, Antonio Brown like fit with new deal
How Dalton fits with the Bears
Adam Jahns, Bears beat writer: The Bears were drawn to Dalton because of his past with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. They were together for two seasons in Cincinnati (2017 and 2018). The same approach applied to the Bears’ acquisition of Nick Foles last offseason. Foles played for Lazor, coach Matt Nagy and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo at different points in his own career. Dalton, of course, interested the Bears more this year than last because Foles didn’t pan out as they had hoped during the 2020 season.
Advertisement
What this means for Chicago
Jahns: It appears as if the Bears will have a competition between Dalton and Foles, who was statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL over his seven starts after replacing Mitch Trubisky. Neither quarterback is getting starter's money. Drafting a quarterback in the middle of the first-round wouldn’t change that either for the Bears, and Dalton’s arrival likely rules out the potential acquisition of a younger quarterback, such as Sam Darnold or Gardner Minshew. For now, they’re stuck in QB purgatory.
What's next for the Bears?
Jahns: Neither Dalton nor Foles is the long-term answer. Dalton received only a one-year deal, while Foles can be released after this season for considerable cap savings. The Bears’ 2021 draft starts with the 20th overall pick, which is the team’s first first-round selection since 2018. With Pace’s aggressive approach to the draft and history of moving up, the Bears surely view themselves as in striking distance for any quarterbacks not named Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson. They could definitely be eyeing Justin Fields, Mac Jones or Trey Lance. If Nagy wants one of them, it's safe to assume that Pace will do everything he can to make it happen.
(Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)