The Atlanta Falcons are bringing aboard the “Red Rifle.”
That’s right: Andy Dalton is coming to the ATL.
The Falcons signed Dalton on Monday morning, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
In a follow-up move, they’re releasing Cooper Rush, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Dalton only became available a bit more than a week ago when he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, he joins the third NFC South Division team he will have played for in his career after previously suiting up for the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.
Dalton is best known for his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he’s well past his prime, but the Falcons clearly felt he was an upgrade for their QB room.
Why Are Falcons Signing Andy Dalton?
Given that the news of Rush’s release came out almost simultaneously, it’s clear the Falcons wanted an upgrade to their quarterback depth chart.
They’ve got Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa and the undrafted rookie Jack Strand around, and now they add Dalton.
Rush started the first two games of the season but was abysmal, and the Falcons clearly don’t want to have to repeat that.
Given the injury histories of Penix and Tagovailoa, the idea of having an experienced QB3 certainly isn’t a bad one.
Atlanta only has to look at their Week 6 opponent, the Chicago Bears, to recognize why that could be important. The Bears were forced to start their veteran QB3 earlier this season when Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent were both hurt — and Case Keenum led them to a win.
Falcons QB Depth Chart
The big question fans will have is whether Dalton will eventually overtake Tagovailoa as the QB2 in Atlanta.
That’s likely not something that the Falcons will be overly forthcoming about in the early going.
Dalton will have to learn Kevin Stefanski’s offense anyway, so it wouldn’t be an immediate changing of the backup quarterback guard anyway.
The Falcons had an injury scare in Week 5 when Penix hurt his ribs, and he also has a history of knee injuries, so this isn’t the most stable depth chart — especially when also taking into account the fact that Tua has a long injury history of his own.
Dalton seems more likely than not to settle into the QB3 role and serve as a solid mentor who could also be called upon in a pinch if the Falcons need him.
Given that Atlanta didn’t wait long to add him once the Eagles released him, Dalton clearly was a priority addition. They definitely have a plan for him, and it should help their overall QB room be just a little more stable.
Falcons Sign Andy Dalton: Why, What It Means for QB Depth Chart With Tua Tagovailoa