Bengals Draft results 2014: Andy Dalton tweets welcome message to AJ McCarron

The Cincinnati Bengals went ahead and became the team who stopped A.J. McCarron’s free fall down the draft order and selected him with the 164th pick in the draft. Now that he’s a fifth round draft choice — after claiming to have been told he was gutting first round grades — McCaron can begin his pro career for a team that already has a solid starting quarterback.

That quarterback is Andy Dalton and the ground he’s staring on may not remain solid for too much longer. Despite endorsements from his coaches, Dalton has struggled in the postseason the first three years of his career and now has McCarron playing behind him.

Dalton, unfazed by the selection, happily welcomed his possible successor to the team.

Dalton needs to step up his game but he’s really in no danger whatsoever of losing his job to McCarron. If anything, the situation to watch is McCarron’s, as the sense of entitlement he’s been described as having has been a negative mark against him and being relegated to a backup role will no doubt put a chip on his shoulder.