AJ McCarron

Report: Bengals believe McCarron can be a starting QB

Published Jun. 20, 2015 7:58 p.m. ET

foxsports

Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron turned some heads during the team's offseason practices and has the coaching staff believing he can be a starting QB.

NFL Media’s Albert Breer reported in a notes column Friday that the coaching staff in Cincinnati thinks McCarron is “fully capable of becoming a starting-quality player.”

This news follows earlier comments made by Bengals defensive end Wallace Gilberry, who boasted that McCarron was “doing awesome” and improving on his throwing motion.

Breer also reported that McCarron was showing off “top-notch pocket presence.” While this news sounds promising for McCarron, it is unlikely that he will threaten Andy Dalton for Cincy's starting job.

However, the praise McCarron is receiving should be incentive for Dalton to work harder to ensure that he retains his starting job for the foreseeable future. Dalton is in what is essentially a year-to-year deal worth $96 million that takes him through the 2020 season.

Since Dalton has been under center for the past four years, he has helped lead the Bengals to the playoffs each season. However, the Dalton is 0-4 in playoff games.

Should Dalton continue to occasionally struggle, it would not be surprising to see McCarron on the field every now and then to provide some relief.

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AJ McCarron

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