To the surprise of many, the Dallas Cowboys inked a deal with Andy Dalton after he was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the simple fact he plays the same position as him, the Cowboys insist the addition of Dalton has nothing to do with Dak Prescott.
If it were another team to sign Dalton, it would be easy to understand why they signed him. In a fair and even world, Dallas signed Dalton so they could have a somewhat reliable backup behind Prescott.
But this is Jerry Jones and the Cowboys we are talking about, who are always looking to make moves that help themselves long-term. As we already know, Dallas signed Dalton to a one-year deal for the 2020 season. Taking that into consideration, the Cowboys view him as an asset for just one season.
In the event that Prescott had injury concerns, signing Dalton would make a bit more sense. Then, signing Dalton would provide the Cowboys some insurance behind their oft-injured quarterback.
However, the reality is that Dak Prescott has failed to miss a single game in his four seasons with the Cowboys. So why would Dallas bring in Dalton, even though there's a very good chance he doesn't see the field in 2020?
Common sense says that Jones and the Cowboys are trying to gain some leverage on Prescott. Of course, since before the 2019 season, Prescott has been interested in getting a long-term extension with Dallas. With that being said, he also wants to make sure he gets a contract that pays him his worth before signing the dotted line.
Provided that, Prescott has been patiently waiting for the Cowboys to offer a deal that is worth taking. The thing is, the longer that Dallas continues to wait, Prescott's value gradually increases. Instead of letting him hit free agency this offseason, the Cowboys placed their franchise tag on the former fourth-round pick.
Despite using the tag on him, the Cowboys have remained adamant about getting a deal done with Prescott. But up to this point, neither side has been able to make much progress. Though, it's evident that Prescott has nearly all of the leverage in his contract dispute with Dallas.
Without a doubt, this entire situation is beginning to get irritating for Jones and the Cowboys' front office. Therefore, why not sign Andy Dalton to show Dak Prescott that they have another capable starter if he isn't going to accept what they've put on the table thus far?
While Jones is a savvy businessman, he's known to make moves that can be a bit manipulative. Even though they won't admit it, the Cowboys likely signed Dalton to send a subtle message to Prescott. If that's discovered to be true, then Dallas is going to put themselves in an even deeper hole with Prescott.
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