5 Reasons Andy Dalton fits Chicago Bears more than Derek Carr
If the Chicago Bears are going to trade for a veteran quarterback, Andy Dalton makes more sense than Derek Carr
As the start of the new league year is set to come, quarterback speculation was in full force as the Chicago Bears arrived at the NFL combine. Who will be competing for Mitch Trubisky, and how will the Bears go about adding him?
Names have flown around as this is a historic free-agent class at quarterback, there are even Tom Brady rumors!
However, two names that have picked up steam over the past couple of weeks are Derek Carr and Andy Dalton. Both fit what Ryan Pace would be looking for, and both could be available this offseason.
Both are realistic, neither is the most likely option, but of the two, Bears fans should at least start to think about the realistic idea of Andy Dalton pushing Mitch Trubisky, here is why.
Cost and control
Derek Carr is 28, and Andy Dalton is 32. While it can be argued there is more upside to Carr; both quarterbacks are who they are at this point. There are three outcomes from trading for either. It could push Trubisky to a new height, it could see them coming in and having success, or it could blow up in their face.
When it comes to the cost of these two quarterbacks who have similar potential outcomes, Dalton is going to go at a lower price and less long-term commitment.
With Dalton, the Bengals have told him that they will work with him to find a trade partner of his choosing. Dalton did a lot of good for the Bengals franchise, and they are not interested in a messy divorce. They also know that they have to trade him, as Joe Burrow is coming to town. They are resigned to taking less than market value to make sure Dalton is happy with his landing spot.
For the Raiders, they are going to play their hand close to the vest. They may be interested in Tom Brady, but that is a one-year fix. As they get closer to the NFL draft, they are going to want to use Derek Carr as a bargaining chip. The Raiders will hold out for value and will look for a deal like the Chiefs got for Alex Smith. They do not care where Carr lands, they want the highest bidder.
Beyond that, Derek Carr is going to be signed through the 2022 season, while Dalton has one year left. That is going to make Dalton less valuable in terms of trade assets, but that helps the Bears both ways. Carr has potential outs, but the Bears would have to take on the majority of a $21 and $22 million cap hit over the next two years.
Dalton has a 2020 cap hit of $17 million. However, if Dalton is confident in himself, he could take an extension with the Bears, which could lower his cap hit, but keep him with the Bears as long as Carr. The downside for Dalton would be if he lost his job to Trubisky, he would be stuck in the backup role. The plus side is that if he does win a starting job against Trubisky, he knows that he can come back and improve his stock with continuity. Beyond that, teams have paid that type of money for a quarterback competition before.
Lastly, there is a high degree of possibility either acquisition does not work out well. If they do not extend Dalton, they can let him compete with Trubisky for one year and move on. They finally have a first-round pick in 2021 and can clear out Dalton and Trubisky.
By trading for Carr, the Bears would have to start him over Trubisky due to the cap hit they are absorbing. If Carr does not work out in 2020, they cannot just go back to Trubisky. They almost have to run it back with him in 2021. Bringing in a rookie in 2021 to compete with Carr is a worse situation than cutting all ties after this year and moving on with a new room.
Overall, Dalton will come at a cheaper trade price, will have less cap hindrance, and is easier to get out of if it does not work out. He is a much safer decision.