Dallas Cowboys: Andy Dalton is a good signing despite the message

The Dallas Cowboys shocked fans recently by signing Andy Dalton. Although it’s debated what message it sends to Dak Prescott, it’s a good team move.

The Dallas Cowboys threw us all a curveball last Saturday as they signed former Cincinnati Bengals starting signal-caller, Andy Dalton, to a one-year deal to become quarterback Dak Prescott‘s backup.

That’s right for all you Dak downers, Dalton is coming in as Prescott’s backup. But I see the move as a disrespectful play towards Prescott. Especially in light of the Cowboys not getting him signed to a long term deal.

That’s still the stance from this side. You can point to anything you want about what you think Prescott should’ve taken, what you think he’s worth, or his mentality during negotiations. However, based on what every other pro athlete has ever done and thought they deserved, I believe Prescott’s in the right in this scenario.

As a former fourth-rounder, Prescott has severely outperformed his draft position and rookie contract. That leaves him now in a position to seek to be compensated for what he’s worth, what he’s done on a minimal salary, and according to the market. The latter being a comparison with other NFL quarterbacks who have gotten their big paydays but have had less or equal success as Prescott has.

There are two questions that this scenario sparks for me. What is so wrong with Prescott wanting to be properly compensated? Secondly, why is it a problem when Dak  wants the same privilege, pleasures, and treatment as any other of your favorite athletes?

Last week, I wrote how Dalton’s signing was potentially insulting to Prescott. But that wasn’t about the player himself, rather the bad message I believe it sent to Dak.

I actually view Dalton’s addition as a good team move for the Cowboys. I appreciated the signing for a couple of reasons. The first is that it shows great awareness.

Fans are only one big hit away from having to endure Matt Cassel, Jon Kitna, Brandon Weeden, Kyle Orton, or Kellen Moore (no hard feelings, love him where he is) for a long stretch of unwatchable games even. You need a guy capable of coming in and giving you a real chance to win ball games.

Secondly, the Cowboys have always been a victim of their own hubris. That has manifested itself in different ways. Some examples includes owner Jerry Jones calling the shots, taking chances on players that we all knew wouldn’t work beforehand, or waiting too late to figure out a backup plan just to name a few. But that’s the essence of where it’s rooted.

This signing of Andy Dalton, along with other progressions we have seen over the past couple of years, shows that the Dallas Cowboys are moving further and further away from who they used to be. While, again, I believe it sends a horrible message to the guy that is supposed to man the position for the next decade or so, it was a good move from an overall team success perspective.

Hopefully, things play out just as they are supposed to with everyone involved. That means that Dak Prescott gets his long term deal, while Andy Dalton enjoys a year at home in Texas before continuing his career as a starting quarterback elsewhere.