Andy Dalton earned a nice incentive in what may have been his final game as a member of the New Orleans Saints’ organization.
As noted by Jelani Scott of Sports Illustrated, Dalton reached two clauses in his contract to net him $1 million in bonuses. Per Scott, Dalton would have received $500,000 if he played at least half the team’s offensive snaps in 2022, and another $500,000 if he played 60 percent.
Dalton started and finished the Saints’ Week 18 game against the Carolina Panthers, a 10-7 home loss that cemented New Orleans’ first season of double-digit losses since 2005. The 2022 campaign also marked New Orleans’ first losing season since 2016.
The Saints signed Dalton to back up Jameis Winston, but the former Cincinnati Bengals’ signal-caller wound up starting 14 of the team’s 17 games. Dalton finished the year with a 66.7 completion percentage for 2,871 yards and 18 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
The 35-year-old is slated to enter free agency this offseason, though New Orleans may feel inclined to bring him back after a solid performance during a disappointing season for the team throughout 2022.
