Could the Patriots take a flier on Andy Dalton? David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots reportedly interested in Andy Dalton

By Blake Harper | Last updated 4/30/20

Andy Dalton was officially released by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday morning, but it doesn't seem like the quarterback should be worried about being unemployed for too long. The quarterback reportedly already drawing interest from several teams, including the New England Patriots.

According to Tyler Dragon of The Enquirer, both the Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars are potential suitors for Dalton. Neither team's interest should come as much of a surprise, as both could certainly use some help at quarterback.

The Jaguars and Patriots are among the teams interested in Andy Dalton, per a source.
— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) April 30, 2020

The Patriots are especially in need of some depth under center, as they did not add a quarterback in the draft. Jarrett Stidham is currently the team's starter and while the team has expressed confidence in him, the second-year quarterback has only thrown four passes in the NFL. Meanwhile, his backup, Brian Hoyer, has started a single game over the last two years.

It's worth noting that New England has been linked to virtually every quarterback who has hit the free-agent market but even so, Dalton may be the best fit for the team. After all, the three-time Pro Bowler is not mistake-prone and even though his numbers dipped last year, that was likely due to the lack of talent and weapons surrounding him.

The biggest question mark for Dalton is his lack of success in the playoffs. The 32-year-old got the Bengals to the postseason four straight years but failed to win a single game. Considering that the Patriots' previous quarterback has the most postseason wins in NFL history, Dalton would be filling in some massive shoes.

Ultimately, this is all just speculation and trying to predict what Belichick is planning to do at any given time is a fool's errand. Still, if the Patriots do decide to create some competition at quarterback, don't be surprised if they decide to target Dalton.

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