New Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton said he believes he’s a starter in the NFL.
Dalton signed with the Cowboys on Monday after he was released May 30. Dak Prescott has started every game for the Cowboys since 2016. Dalton was a nine-year starter for the Bengals but acknowledged that Prescott is the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.
“Dak’s the starter on this team,” Dalton told reporters Wednesday. “Dak has played really well. I knew the situation that I was coming into.”
Dalton signed a one-year, $3 million pact with Dallas, which could rise to $7 million if Dalton reaches incentives. He could earn a longer contract from the Cowboys or another franchise next off-season, based on a different free agent market.
“I believe I’m a starter in this league,” Dalton said. “And I feel like I could bring a lot to the table. I know I’m on a one-year deal. I understand the market’s going to be a little bit different next off-season.”
Prescott and the Cowboys have been in negotiations for a contract extension all off-season. The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott in March, which would result in a salary of at least $31 million in 2020 if he doesn’t agree to an extension before the season.
Prescott is expected to receive between $35 and $40 million annually if he signs an extension with the Cowboys.
Dalton, 32, completed 59.2 percent of his throws for 3,494 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 13 starts last season. The two-time Pro Bowl selection is a Katy, Texas, native and attended TCU before he joined the Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
“I’m going to try to be the biggest asset to this team, try to help out this offense, help out Dak, help out everybody as much as I can,” Dalton said. “It’s a different perspective for me, since I’ve been a starter the last nine years, but I understand the position I’m coming into and the role I’m going to play.”
