Chicago Bears quarterback Andy Dalton still thinks he’s going to be the starter this season.
The Bears infamously named Dalton the starting quarterback for the upcoming season back in March, but then proceeded to draft Justin Fields 11th overall. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Well, the former Bengals and Cowboys passer says Fields being in the building as the QB of the future hasn’t changed his thinking.
QB1. pic.twitter.com/TuyrAcpoCM
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 25, 2021
Dalton told the media the following Wednesday, according to NFL.com:
I knew the situation I was going into regardless of if they drafted somebody or they didn’t. I was on a one-year deal and I was going to be the starter. So, my mindset didn’t have to change. I already knew that I’m going to do everything I can to be the best player I can for this team and to help us win a lot of football games. And that’s been my goal since the very beginning. Whatever happens after this year, happens. My mindset didn’t change just because they drafted Justin.
Dalton is in a tough spot, and I’m not sure what else he could have said. He can’t exactly go out to the media and say the team clearly is okay with playing someone else after naming him QB1.
They claimed to be totally committed to Dalton in May, and then went and drafted a guy more than capable of starting right away.
It puts him in a difficult position.
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Having said that, Dalton has to understand that this is a business at the end of the day, and Fields will almost certainly be starting sooner than later.
The Bears didn’t draft Fields so that he could ride the bench. They drafted him to play.
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Whether it’s week one or later in the season, Fields is going to take over the starting job. Dalton just needs to accept it.