Cowboys likely saying goodbye to Andy Dalton in free agency

Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys will need to find a new No. 2 quarterback, as the team is expecting Andy Dalton to head elsewhere in free agency. 

The big news of the offseason for the Dallas Cowboys has no question been the team signing Dak Prescott to a four-year contract extension. Jerry Jones finally broke the bank to make his superstar signal-caller happy. Moving forward, however, it’s looking like Jones will need to find someone else to back him up.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys are expecting to lose veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton in free agency. After one campaign in the NFC East, it’s looking like Dalton is all set to leave Dallas.

The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready for Andy Dalton to leave town this offseason

Per Fowler, there’s still a chance Dalton ends up returning to the Cowboys next season, but his sources are telling him the team also believes that he’ll be inclined to sign somewhere where he’ll have the opportunity to see some more action.

With Prescott healthy, Dalton won’t be seeing the field for the Cowboys. Last year when Prescott suffered his fractured ankle, though, Dalton stepped in and immediately took over as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.

Dalton appeared in 11 games last season for Dallas, making nine starts. On the campaign, he threw for 2,170 yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. While Dalton is a veteran presence out on the field, Dallas is simply a far better team when Prescott has the ball in his hands.

Because of this, Dalton understands that he’d spend the majority of 2021 riding the pine with Prescott’s ankle healed and him ready to make standout plays like we’ve all grown used to seeing. Sooner than later, we may be finding out where Dalton will suit up next fall, but right now, it’s not looking likely it will be at AT&T Stadium.