When the Cincinnati Bengals finished the season with the worst record in the NFL, it became clear that they would be looking to draft a quarterback with the first overall pick in the NFL entry draft. Of course, . This meant that QB Andy Dalton’s days in Cincy were numbered and today, his fate was sealed. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Bengals have officially released Dalton from the team, thus turning him into a free agent.

As it turns out, Dalton’s release was entirely up to him. The veteran QB doesn’t want to be anyone’s backup and with the Bengals shifting their focus to Burrow, it only made sense that Dalton requested to be let go.

At this point, it remains to be seen what the market will be for Dalton, considering he has very limited playoff experience and hasn’t had very good results in the last few years. Regardless, teams like the New England Patriots appear to be in need of an experienced QB and perhaps Dalton can fill that role.

Stay tuned for NFL free agency updates as we will continue to bring you the latest.