Is Dalton Earning His Stripes?

  With the 2014 NFL season right around the corner, the Cincinnati Bengals will have a lot to figure out, on the field and off. The Bengals having lost both, their offensive and defensive coordinator from last season, as both of them landed head coaching jobs. They also lost key players such as, defensive end, Michael Johnson and offensive tackle, Anthony Collins. But that's over with, those people are gone, no longer with the organization, merely a thing of the past. However, the Bengals have to determine if there is someone they can't afford to lose after this season. That someone is quarterback, Andy Dalton.

Dalton, 26, former second-round pick in 2011 is coming up on the last year of his rookie contract. The Bengals have to decide if they want to give him a new contract, which would guarantee the QB extra seasons in Cincinnati, and more than likely would pay him handsomely. They also have the option of waiting and giving him the franchise-tag, for next season, which wouldn't guarantee him anything but one extra year and a nice amount of money.

Can the Bengals really afford not to give the 26-year-old QB a contract extension?

Left: A.J. Green. Right: Andy Dalton. (picture courtesy of huffingtonpost.com)

  Since 2011 (since drafting Dalton) the Bengals have a 30-18 record. the Bengals won 30 games from 2000-2005. Every season since he's been playing his numbers have improved, and you know what they say, numbers don't lie. in 2011, Dalton passed for 20 TD's, 13 INT's and completed 58 percent of his passes. 2012, 27 TD's, 16 INT's while completing 62 percent of his passes. 2013, 33 TD's, 20 INT's while completing 62 percent of his passes. But i'm not going to just throw stats out, sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story. Dalton, along with all-pro receiver, A.J. Green have not only helped the Bengals organization win, but they've helped change the culture in Cincinnati. Before they came, the Bengals' fans seemed content with an 8-8 season. Let's be honest, the Bengals weren't really getting eight wins in a season. In 2005, the Bengals went 11-5 and you would hear people bragging about making the playoffs and having an 11-win season. Now, Bengals' fans are use to both, winning and making the playoffs. However, Dalton may be a victim of his own doing. He helped create a winning atmosphere, now, fans want more and expect more. They want a playoff win. Indeed, Dalton has not won a playoff game, so far in his career (0-3). But Cincinnati fans, think about this, if Dalton doesn't get a new contract and the next QB struggles, can the team afford to go backward and "rebuild". Every season, something has improved, whether it's Dalton's TD amount, the win total, or even the amount of season-ticket holders. But these are all good things, the team looks to be in a good position, right now.

  Should Dalton get the extension before the season? I don't think it matters. Should he get the contract extension at all? Yes. I don't just say that because he's given the organization three consecutive above-.500 seasons (which hasn't been done in Cincinnati since the 1970s). I say that because the best player on the team, A.J. Green, publicly came out and spoke on the issue and says he supports Dalton. That's a big deal because Green isn't very vocal about much, so him speaking-out about Dalton should let you know what he thinks about Dalton's abilities. Also, that he wants Dalton here and wants to grow and develop with him more. Knowing that both of these players have yet to reach their prime should excite Bengals fans. Hopefully, going into next season the Bengals work out something out to tie-in Dalton for years to come. Not only for Dalton but for the Bengals' fans and the organization, because I believe they could be on verge of a playoff win that the city is long overdue for.