Cowboys sign Dalton, waive incumbent backup QB Rush
FRISCO, TEXAS » The Dallas Cowboys officially signed quarterback Andy Dalton Monday and waived Cooper Rush, who had been the backup to Dak Prescott since the middle of the 2017 season.
Dalton is guaranteed at least $3 million on the one-year deal that could be worth up to $7 million for the 32-year-old former Cincinnati starter. The Bengals released Dalton with a year remaining on his contract after drafting Joe Burrow first overall.
It’s the biggest investment in a backup by the Cowboys since Kyle Orton was behind Tony Romo in 2012-13. Orton replaced an injured Romo for the regular-season finale in 2013 when Philadelphia beat Dallas with a playoff berth on the line.
Prescott hasn’t missed a game in his four seasons, including three playoff starts. Rush, an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Central Michigan, got mop-up duty in five games over three seasons. He completed one of three passes.
Rush signed a $2.1 million tender as a restricted free agent in March. There was no guaranteed money in the deal, and he was free to negotiate with other teams.
Behind Dalton, the No. 3 job should come down to James Madison’s Ben DiNucci, a seventh-round pick this year, and Clayton Thorson. The former Northwestern QB was a fifth-round pick by Philadelphia last year before the Cowboys signed him to their practice squad.
Bears sign veteran receiver Ginn Jr. to one-year contract
LAKE FOREST, ILL. » The Chicago Bears have signed wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday.
A 13-year veteran who has played in Super Bowls with San Francisco and Carolina, Ginn caught 30 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns with New Orleans last season. He has 409 receptions for 5,702 yards and
33 touchdowns in addition to 486 yards rushing on 68 carries for Miami (2007-09), San Francisco (2010-12), Arizona (2014), Carolina (2013,
2015-16) and New Orleans
(2017-19).
Ginn also has returned
257 punts for 2,600 yards with four touchdowns and
307 kickoffs for 6,899 yards and three TDs. He is one of 10 players to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same game and in 2009 became the first to run back two for 100 yards in the same game.
The Bears went 8-8 and missed the playoffs last season after winning the NFC North in 2018. Their offense ranked among the worst in the NFL last season.
NFL moving London, Mexico City games back to U.S. stadiums
The NFL is moving its five games scheduled for London and Mexico City this season back to U.S. stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic. All five regularseason games will be played at the stadiums of the host teams.
Scheduled were two home games for the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London and two at Tottenham’s new facility, with the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins as hosts. The Arizona Cardinals were to be the home team for the game at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Opponents had not been announced.
The NFL said in a statement Monday that “in order for the entire season to be played in NFL teams’ stadia under consistent protocols focused on the well-being of players, personnel and fans ... Commissioner Roger Goodell made this decision after consultation with our clubs, national and local governments, the NFL Players Association, medical authorities and international stadium partners.”
The NFL has staged regular-season games in London every year since 2007. Since 2013, the Jaguars have hosted one game there each season.
“While the NFL’s many fans in London, the U.K. and Europe will obviously be disappointed by this news, it is absolutely the right decision to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the sport,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said. “I know that the NFL remains fully committed to London and I look forward to welcoming NFL teams back to the capital in 2021.”
Mexico City has had a regular-season game in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
“After considerable analysis, we believe the decision to play all our games domestically this season is the right one for our players, our clubs, and all our fans in the U.S., Mexico and U.K.,” said Christopher Halpin, an NFL executive vice president. “We greatly appreciate the support of our governmental and stadium partners in Mexico and the United Kingdom, who all agree with this decision, and we look forward to returning for games in both countries in the 2021 season.”
The league is set to release the full schedule this week and is planning on adhering to it, though contingencies are being discussed as a safeguard against the pandemic.