Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is poised to join the fourth team of his career in 2022.
The Saints are reportedly signing Dalton to a one-year contract to presumably serve as Jameis Winston’s backup in New Orleans, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal will pay the 34-year-old Dalton up to $6 million, with $3 million guaranteed.
An 11-year veteran, Dalton will likely slot into the Saints quarterback room as a veteran backup after the franchise re-signed Winston to a two-year deal earlier this offseason. Utility player Taysom Hill will forego most of his responsibilities under center and focus on playing tight end in 2022, according to New Orleans coach Dennis Allen.
Dalton signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Bears in March 2021 and the organization maintained that he would be the starter throughout the early stages of the offseason. That changed when Chicago traded up in the NFL draft to select former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
Dalton lined up under center in the Bears first two regular season games before a knee injury sidelined him in Week 3. Fields went on to take the starting gig from there, before minor injuries kept him out of a few games later on in the year.
When all was said and done, Dalton made six starts for Chicago, while appearing in eight regular season games. He finished the year having completed 63.1% of his passes for 1,515 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Prior to his one-year stint with the Bears, Dalton spent the 2020 season with the Cowboys. He began his career in 2011 with the Bengals and played for nine years with the AFC North franchise, during which he made three Pro Bowls and led Cincinnati to five straight playoff appearances.
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