New England Patriots should make Andy Dalton number one priority

The New England Patriots should now turn their full attention to Andy Dalton at the quarterback position.

The New England Patriots have entered into unknown waters. The last time the Patriots needed to fill the shoes of a starting quarterback was in 2001. Since that time, their ship has been steered by Tom Brady, the man who most consider to be the greatest quarterback of all-time.

With the announcement this morning that Tom Brady will be looking to lead a new team in 2020, the New England Patriots now have a massive hole for Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft to fill. There are only a few options remaining in free agency and with their first draft selection not being until No. 23 overall, they must prioritize the position.

While they have Jarrett Stidham in waiting, it sounds like they are not ready to pass the ropes on to the 23-year-old. Instead, the Pats should turn their attention to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, who should be easy to acquire as the Bengals are turning to Joe Burrow as their franchise quarterback.

Using NextGen Stats, let’s take a look at both Dalton and Brady to see if we can see any comparisons in their game. You may be surprised by what you see.

Tom Brady

Time to throw (TT):  2.66 seconds
Air Yards per Completion (AY/C):  6.0 y
Air Yards to the Sticks (+/-):  -.75 y
OL Rank Average (4yr): 6.25
Career Completion Percentage:  63.8%

Andy Dalton

Time to throw (TT):  2.52 seconds
Air Yards per Completion (AY/C):  6.0 y
Air Yards to the Sticks (+/-):  -.65 y
OL Rank Average (4yr): 22.5
Career Completion Percentage:  62.0%

Now I want everyone to know I am not saying by any means that Dalton will be able to replicate what Brady did in New England for the past 20 years but I am saying that they play the position relatively similar.

Dalton is more mobile and seems a little more willing to take hits than the Tom Brady of recent years. He has played behind a much more suspect offensive line and could benefit from having a functional organization around him. In Cincinnati, he never had a defense similar to that of New England’s and also never had a coaching staff that had the ability of the Patriots staff.

On the other hand, he has occasionally struggled with interceptions, something Bill Belichick will not take lightly. However, with the current players available at the quarterback position, Belichick cannot be too picky, Dalton may be the best fit for the New England Patriots moving forward.

Dalton is a smart and reliable quarterback who could bring some stability to the position for the Patriots. He would likely be a stop-gap option for this team, but Dalton is also a guy who could help groom the next franchise quarterback. Simply put, Andy Dalton is the best remaining option for the New England Patriots at the quarterback position.