The Indianapolis Colts were looking to upgrade at the quarterback position after a mediocre campaign by Jacoby Brissett last season.
Indy was the favored landing spot for veteran Philip Rivers, but the organization had a backup plan in case that didn’t work out.
Philip Rivers is heading to Indy.
The 38-year-old QB is signing with the Colts, per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/PlLdjbSb0F
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 17, 2020
The Colts did end up signing Rivers to a one-year $25 million deal for the 2020 season.
However, before that happened, the team reportedly discussed the possibility of trading for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
Dalton to Indy?
There always needs to be a backup plan, and it appears Dalton was the Colts second choice.
“There was a lot of interest in him,” says Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.
Dalton was released by the Bengals after the organization drafted LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
However, Indy was showing interest in Dalton before his release and the signing of Rivers.
The Colts were going to cover all their bases and take a look at all the options that were available to them.
Indy already has Brissett under contract for the 2020 season, so the Dalton discussions were over after Rivers signed the deal.
Dalton vs Rivers
Did the Colts make the right decision by signing Rivers instead of taking a chance on Dalton?
Last season, Dalton threw for 3,494 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions through 13 games.
The three-time Pro-Bowl quarterback didn’t have an excellent year on paper, but it wasn’t all his fault.
The Bengals best wide receiver A.J. Green was out the entire season and the offensive line struggled heavily throughout the year.
#AndyDalton had 29 games where he threw for 300+ yards. This past year to open the 2019 season he threw for 418 yards (his most ever). I was at this game, we out played Seattle that day. #ThankYouAndy #bengals #CincinnatiFootballHistory pic.twitter.com/kHrYDablj1
— Bengal Jim’s BTR (@bengaljims_BTR) May 1, 2020
Dalton has made the most out of a bad situation in Cincinnati, but the 32-year-old is not exactly a superstar option.
Rivers is coming off a 2019 campaign where he threw for 4,615 yards with 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
The eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback is coming off a down year as well, but still has the stats to back him up.
The 16-year veteran had a below average offensive line, but still managed to throw over 4,500 yards last season.
Both Dalton and Rivers were not in the best spots last season, but one player is far superior than the other.
Dalton has produced two seasons with 4,000 passing yards or more in a single season.
While Rivers has thrown for 4,000 passing yards or more every season since the 2013 campaign.
No, Rivers is not the perfect quarterback, but he’s the more reliable option compared to Dalton.
What Happens to Dalton Now?
It appears the Bengals believe in the youth movement and are going forward with Burrow at quarterback.
Dalton was released by Cincinnati, but it didn’t take him long to find a new home.
The Cowboys have waived QB Cooper Rush and officially signed Andy Dalton.
— Nick Eatman (@nickeatman) May 4, 2020
The Dallas Cowboys decided to bring in Dalton as their backup quarterback to Dak Prescott.
A one-year deal for the 9-year veteran who is not expected to see the field much in 2020.
It sounds like Dalton will accept a backup role in Dallas and attempt to find a better situation for himself next offseason.
At the end of the day, it appears that the Colts made the right decision to sign Rivers over Dalton.
The Colts have a revamped roster and are ready to compete for a playoff spot in 2020.
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