Paul Dehner Jr.

Cincinnati

ORLANDO -- Marvin Lewis sat at one of 16 tables set aside for head coaches inside the sprawling Ritz-Carlton Hotel ballroom. There, this annual rite of spring, the AFC coaches' media breakfast at the league meetings, slogged on for over an hour.

Reporters sauntered to Lewis' table, asked questions. After a few minutes, they'd disperse, soon replaced by another pulling up a chair with queries of his own.

The media members changed. The message stayed the same.

Marvin Lewis believes in Andy Dalton. And he'd prefer an extension done. Soon.

"We are hopeful we can get a deal done that works and Andy can put it behind him," Lewis said. "He can get back focusing on football. He doesn't have to go into the season and worry about this contract thing, every week someone is going to ask him a question … all those things that come into play later on. Let's get it behind us."

Between clearing of plates and refills of water, Lewis served up his point of view. Dalton lined up with the starting group since the first time he strapped on a Bengals helmet. No. 14 owns 51 consecutive starts since that day. Only four other quarterbacks in history can claim they reached the playoffs their first three seasons.

Defense of Dalton wasn't new. Lewis stood proudly in his quarterback's corner since drafting him in the second round in 2011. The difference in this meal centered around Lewis' urgency to see Dalton receive an extension.

"We are hopeful we can get a deal done that doesn't preclude us from doing everything else we also want to continue to do — and soon — because we are sitting on a chunk of cap in order to get him done and continue to put the team together around him," Lewis said.

The team held off on signing free agents this year — also letting two prominent starters leave — to preserve space for young players they'd like to extend. First on the list is Dalton, an unrestricted free agent at the close of next season. The two sides could choose to let the quarterback play out the year and risk him hitting the open market next year or sign an extension now to secure the position for the foreseeable future.

Both sides inherit risk on either side of the decision.

The Bengals risk would be obvious, investing double-digit millions in guaranteed cash on a quarterback questions still surround. Dalton's winless in three playoff games, throwing one touchdown to six interceptions and a fumble in the process.

Dalton would sacrifice a significant pay raise should he excel next year, but inking now would add security of guaranteed money, insurance against a career backslide and the Bengals owning enough cash to afford pieces around him.

Obviously, the latter scenario sits well with Lewis, still chasing his first playoff win entering a 12th season.

"Let's get something that works for everyone and enables us to keep tackles in front of you, receivers on the outside, guys on the other side of the football," Lewis said.

His boss offered a similar mantra two days prior, though, laced with more caution. President Mike Brown, never one to accept a less than satisfactory deal, didn't sound interested in stretching what he believes to be Dalton's value in order to settle the situation. He admitted the initial negotiating process hasn't moved quickly.

"We are going to try to get something done, but I don't know if we are going to be able to or not," Brown said, among other comments in this interview session Sunday. "At some point we are going to have to do something more than just let everyone else leave waiting to get something done with that situation. We held back this year trying to put ourselves in a position to get him done. If it turns out it can't be made to work we will do something elsewhere."

Other options include selecting a quarterback in this year's draft. Taking a mid-round project like Aaron Murray (Georgia) or Zach Mettenberger (LSU) in an attempt to duplicate the Russell Wilson phenomenon in Seattle would be an option. Scraping the barrel of free agent quarterbacks next year would be another.

Neither seem appealing for Lewis, who directed more than a gentle nudge toward Dalton to convince his camp to find a common ground for the sake of both sides moving forward competitively.

"I think he gets it," Lewis said. "But at some point you got to push everyone else to get it. Hey, this is what's best for me long term so I am not maimed."

No question of what's best in Lewis' mind remained amid the crumbs and used napkins at breakfast's end. At this moment, at this meal, he wants to go forward with the player he hand-picked three years ago and one he continues to adamantly stand behind.

He wants to be sitting at the same table next year not having to constantly come to the defense of desiring Dalton.

"I'm tired of answering questions about Andy that don't make any sense," Lewis said. "We had to throw Andy right in right away and I think he's done a really good job and will continue to get better. Until he proves he won't. He's done for the most part what we've asked the quarterback to do and that's take care of the offense. We are only as good as our last time out when we lost that game so everybody feels that way right now, unfortunately.

"We all want to be better. Once he does that all the rest will go away."