Quarterback Andy Dalton has been a starter for most of his NFL career, but that’s not the role he’s expected to fill with the Saints in 2022.
Jameis Winston re-signed with the team and is expected to be the No. 1 quarterback as long as he’s fully recovered from last year’s torn ACL. On Thursday, Dalton made it clear that his role will be a supportive one in New Orleans.
“This Is Jameis’ thing,” Dalton said. “I’m here to help him out in any way that I can. I’m excited to work with him, be in the same room, and see everything I can do to help him out to make him the best player he can be.”
Dalton’s arrival has an impact beyond Winston. With an experienced quarterback on hand, the Saints can use Taysom Hill more fully as a tight end/jack of all trades on offense. If Hill were the primary backup to Winston, the team couldn’t risk the injuries that could come in such a role but he now becomes another chess piece for them to deploy in the first year of the post-Sean Payton era in New Orleans.
