Andy Dalton believes it's only a matter of time before he works out a new deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The fourth-year quarterback told NFL Media's Albert Breer on Wednesday that he's optimistic a contract extension is a "when" rather than an "if" proposition.
"I'm confident. And both sides are working on it," Dalton said. "We haven't given a deadline, we haven't talked about a deadline. We don't expect it to get to that point, but if it does, it does."
Dalton has one year remaining on his rookie deal. Bengals owner Mike Brown told reporters last week that the team would be open to using its franchise tag if a deal cannot be worked out. Brown also offered a solid endorsement, exclaiming that Dalton will be the "quarterback here for the immediate future."
Dalton's situation will be a good test case for how much Colin Kaepernick's unusual extension has shaken up the top half of the quarterback market. Brown is on record saying the Bengalswould like to sign Dalton to a similar, pay-as-you-go deal.
If Dalton's people are intent on a contract similar to the guarantee-rich dealJay Cutler got from the Bears, we could see a stalemate. The solution is probably a compromise somewhere in between.
The latest Around The League Podcast talks about the good and bad out of Cowboys camp, then plays the "What's More Likely?" game.