Sam Darnold is firmly entrenched as the Jets' starting quarterback, and even though the team drafted James Morgan in the fourth round, finding a veteran backup signal caller could still be a priority for Gang Green.

Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets had expressed interest in free agent quarterback Andy Dalton, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Dalton has decided to sign with the Dallas Cowboys on a one-year deal.

Per ESPN, the Jets had "some level of interest" in Dalton, though it could simply have been due diligence by general manager Joe Douglas and the Jets pro personnel department at this point.

A second round pick by Cincinnati in 2011, Dalton stepped in as the Bengals' starter right away and got off to a successful start. In Dalton's first five seasons, he made the Pro Bowl twice and won 50 games, leading the Bengals to the playoffs four times.

With a career completion percentage of 62.0, Dalton has thrown for 31,594 yards with 204 touchdowns and 118 interceptions. As a starter, the former TCU quarterback has a record of 70-61-2.

Dalton, 32, was released by Bengals this week, shortly after the team selected LSU QB and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Finding a reliable backup is a necessity for the Jets, as the 2019 season served as the perfect example of what can happen without one.

With Darnold sidelined due to mono in Weeks 2-to-4 last season, the Jets went 0-3 and scored a total of 23 points, as the offense went without scoring a touchdown during that stretch. Trevor Siemian, a veteran brought in before the season, threw just six passes before getting injured himself, and the combination of Luke Falk and David Fales simply wasn't good enough for the Jets to compete.

Video: Denzel Mims: Darnold's going to be my new best friend

Popular in the Community