The Facts: While the Bengals are looking to extend the contracts of some key players (including Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap), one deal they can’t see getting done this year is an extension for quarterback Andy Dalton. “We didn’t sign the Andy Dalton deal because we thought it was a good deal. At the time it was an expensive deal. It was a heavy lift,” Bengals vice president Troy Blackburn said. “We did it because Andy was a winning starting quarterback in the National Football League, he had demonstrated that."

Diehards Line: In the four years since Dalton’s six-year extension reportedly worth $16 million per year that more than doubled the Bengals’ purchase price and made him the highest paid player in Bengals history in average salary, quarterback salaries have ballooned. According to spotrac.com, Dalton, who is due $13.9 million this year, is ranked 17th in pay for quarterbacks. Blackburn further explained, "We know statistically your best chance of success is by rewarding your own players and maintaining that quality core. That is what drove that. We are certainly aware quarterback deals have evolved since then. We know that at the right time we will have to evolve as well. We don’t think this is the time right now. What we are going to focus on right now is building the best team for 2018 we possibly can.” Meanwhile, as Profootballtalk.com suggests, with three more years on his deal, Dalton can’t really expect the Bengals to tear up his contract and give him a new one — especially when Dalton’s passer rating has declined three straight years.