New Orleans Saints sign Andy Dalton to seemingly backup Jameis Winston
By James Reeve
The New Orleans Saints backup quarterback competition has become more interesting after the reported signing of free agent Andy Dalton.
The 2021 NFL season saw the New Orleans Saints rely on a rotation at the most important offensive position, with Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, and Ian Book all taking multiple snaps under center – combining just shy of 3500 yards through the air.
Winston appeared to be the best of the bunch before he suffered a season-ending injury, throwing for 1170 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just three interceptions – which has undeniably put him in the good graces of the team’s hierarchy, as they opted to hand him a new two-year, $28 million contract this off-season.
Changes for the New Orleans Saints all over the QB room in 2022
With Winston returning at a significant financial increase, it’s clear that the team views him as the unquestioned starter, with Taysom Hill expected to get more likes at tight end, while the backup/insurance option for the team now looks to be a competition between two recent signings.
Former Jacksonville Jaguars starter Blake Bortles was signed to the Saints practice squad towards the end of the 2021 season, backing up Ian Book in the team’s game against the Miami Dolphins, and was signed to a futures contract back in January – giving him an opportunity to compete for the backup role next season.
That could change, however, after NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Saints have signed former long-time Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton to a one-year, $3 million deal that could rise to $6 million through incentives.
Dalton now enters the competition for the second-string role alongside Bortles and 2021 fourth-round pick Book, whom a lot of fans are keen to see develop further.
The former second-round (35th overall) selection of the Bengals in the 2011 Draft brings with him a wealth of experience, with 148 NFL starts, over 35,000 passing yards, and 226 touchdowns to 135 interceptions throughout his career, which has also seen him spend seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.
With Winston appearing in just seven games last season, the need for a reliable backup was clearly an issue the Saints wanted to address with this signing and the 34-year-old is likely to be considered the favorite to win the competition come the start of the 2022 season.
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If the New Orleans Saints aren’t impressed enough by the Katy, Texas native’s showing during training camp, his contract will be easy enough to remove due to his low base salary.
Bortles or Book would then be expected to fill the spot behind Winston and help provide insurance for the team moving forward.