While Tom Brady reportedly is in the Patriots’ plans for the 2020 season, New England would be wise to arrange back-up plans.
After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Brady returning to Foxboro sure seems like the best fit for both sides, but there’s always the chance the star quarterback falls in love with another team on the open market. If this comes to fruition, the Patriots could stay in-house and move forward with Jarrett Stidham, though asking the 23-year-old to take the reins in his second NFL season could be too tall of an order.
As for outside of the organization, Andy Dalton reportedly is on New England’s radar as a potential option if Brady walks. While most Patriots fans probably aren’t enamored with Dalton, former NFL fullback Michael Robinson could see the three-time Pro Bowl selection working out in Foxboro.
“I think Andy Dalton to the New England Patriots would be a great option,” Robinson said on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access.” “I have to say this: I’m not a big Andy Dalton fan. I’m a huge Bill Belichick fan, though. Regardless of who the quarterback is, you can’t go out there with the same skill-position players that you had last year. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care if it’s Tom Brady coming back, you won’t win. But Andy Dalton: 70 wins, 61 losses and two ties with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has a winning record with the Cincinnati Bengals! Like, that should be an accomplishment in its own. First five years in the National Football League, he took the team to five playoff appearances. They didn’t win much, they didn’t win anything, but he led them there. So, you gotta think Andy Dalton has the ability to play at a high level, right? So, all you gotta do is get him with the right organization, right?”
Robinson makes a fair point. Dalton wasn’t exactly set up to flourish in Cincinnati, and one could argue he made the best of the cards he was dealt. And at 32, he surely has plenty of football left in him.
Would Dalton be New England’s long-term answer at quarterback? Of course not. But if the franchise is looking to buy time ahead of the next era, Dalton wouldn’t be the worst gap filler.
