NFL Rumors: Bill Belichick Believes Andy Dalton Has 'Untapped Potential'

The Patriots head coach reportedly believes he can get something out of Andy Dalton that no one else has.

One of the names mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the New England Patriots in the event that Tom Brady leaves this offseason is Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. 

With the Bengals projected to draft Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in April, the organization has reportedly planned to help find Dalton a trade suitor that will not only take him, but one that he wants to play for, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. 

As a veteran that has had spurts of success over his career and is on a modest contract right now, Dalton seems like one of the more likely candidates New England could trade for if Brady were to leave. That's why it was reported recently that the Patriots are one of a handful of teams that have an interest in trading for the Bengals' veteran QB. 

Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report added fuel to that report on Wednesday, writing that the reported interest from the Patriots in Dalton is real, and that Belichick believes Dalton has "untapped potential". 

"Several teams have mentioned to me that the Patriots' reported interest in Dalton is even real," Freeman wrote. "Bill Belichick, like others around the league, believes Dalton has untapped potential and that it's been hard to decipher how truly good or bad he is because he's played in Cincinnati."

This continues to be an unpopular choice at quarterback for Patriots fans who want a strong candidate to replace Brady if he leaves. But here's the reality of the situation: if the six-time Super Bowl champion leaves, there's no replacing him with anyone in the free agent or trade market. There's a reason why those quarterbacks in either of those markets will be available, and it's because they aren't quite good enough to earn another contract or a starting job with the team they are currently on. 

So, acquiring a veteran QB like Dalton, who has shown flashes of excellence on a horrible football team and is tied up in a contract that averages $16 million/year seems like a pretty darn good choice if you're a Patriots team that needs to penny pinch at each position this offseason. 

You may grimace at the idea, but it could happen.