Cincinnati Bengals: Expectations for AJ McCarron in 2015

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Jul 3, 2015

When it comes to the quarterback situation of the Cincinnati Bengals, they have everything pretty much set heading into the upcoming season. Quarterback Andy Dalton is hands down the best option to start as he will continue to win plenty of football games for the organization. Whether he can finally get a win in the NFL Playoffs remains to be seen with the Bengals, but 2015 should be hopefully a good year for him and his backup, AJ McCarron. What should fans expect out of McCarron as he heads into his sophomore season?

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McCarron got to learn a bit in his rookie season last year despite dealing with a shoulder injury. He spent it on the sidelines learning the game the best he could from a proven veteran in Dalton. Many believe that is the best route to take with a future franchise quarterback since the more time they spend learning the game, the better their future will be because of it.

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With a high football IQ and ability to be a catalyst on offense, McCarron should continue his progression by studying the ins and outs of the Bengals’ offensive playbook. Considering that he is the best choice as Dalton’s backup, he’s going to get much more experience during training camps and preseason football since he’s relatively healthy.

The NFL will always be unpredictable as one never knows what can happen at any given moment, but should an injury or a steep decline of play hit Dalton this upcoming season, McCarron is in a great position to contribute should his number be called.

Even though the Bengals had other options to be their main backup for Dalton in Josh Johnson, Keith Wenning and the recently released Terrelle Pryor, McCarron is easily ahead of the pack as far as the depth chart is concerned. He put on a decent showing during mini-camps so far his offseason as even though he threw some interceptions, he displayed his arm strength which was quite impressive.

Unlike last year, now he’s able to get a true feel for the gridiron and run drills to the best of his abilities. McCarron’s development is important since it’s building the foundation now for perhaps one day being able to lead this team efficiently. He’s a proven winner from his college days as he has the potential to be Dalton’s successor.

In an article written by Mark Inabinett of AL.com, here is what cornerback Adam Jones said of McCarron after going up against him during Bengals’ mini-camps:

"“McCarron looks really good,” Jones told Geoff Hobson, the editor of Bengals.com. “The other guys have their spurts, but he’s got the ‘it’ factor. The kid’s a winner. You can tell he’s been working on his ball strength from last year and this year. You can never underestimate the ‘it’ factor, regardless of what anybody says. It’s the difference between winning some games and being champion. That’s my opinion.”"

May 26, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) talks with quarterback AJ McCarron (5) during OTAs at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Needless to say, the track record that McCarron set at Alabama is quite impressive. In his collegiate career, McCarron contribute 9,019 yards on 686 completions for 77 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He broke many passing records and is a three-time BCS National Championship winner for the Crimson Tide.

It’s great to see the Bengals not rushing McCarron into a starting position considering that Dalton has plenty to prove during the next few prime years of his career. Once Dalton’s time comes to an end eventually, McCarron should be more than ready to lead this team without missing a beat. Who knows, maybe he’ll be the next franchise quarterback the Bengals need for years to come once his time to deliver finally arrives.

Expect to see McCarron continue to grow and see plenty of action during preseason football. While he might not be ready to start this upcoming season unless something happens to Dalton, he’s only going to keep evolving thanks to being able to adapt to everything slowly rather than being rushed to the wolves. If he can get another season on the bench, he could be in the starting quarterback conversation come 2016.

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