Andy Dalton has been assured he’s the Bears’ starting QB. The question is for how long?

The decision was pretty simple for quarterback Andy Dalton.

“When you hear that you’re going to be the starter, that’s an enticing pitch,” Dalton said.

The 33-year-old veteran quarterback signed with the Bears on Wednesday on a one-year contract, reportedly worth $10 million.

[ Bears sign veteran QB Andy Dalton ]

Dalton met with the Chicago media for the first time via Zoom on Thursday. His decision to sign with the Bears came down primarily to two things: the fact that the Bears told him he would be their starting quarterback, as well as his prior relationship with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.

“They told me I was the starter — that was one of the reasons why I wanted to come here,” Dalton said. “Every conversation I’ve had has been that, so that’s the assurance that I’ve gotten.”

Dalton spent nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before signing a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys last season. He has started 142 games in his NFL career, far more than Nick Foles (55) and more than any Bears starter since Jay Cutler. He has quarterbacked five teams to the playoffs, but never won a playoff game.

Dalton can be a starter in the NFL. The question is how long are the Bears going to keep him around?

He’s a safe, reliable veteran, who isn’t going to wow anyone, but who can take a team to the playoffs with the right supporting cast. But he was never general manager Ryan Pace’s Plan A this offseason. The Bears reportedly struck out in their attempt to trade for Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson. Dalton was well aware that he was Pace’s fall-back plan.

Asked directly about the Wilson trade discussions, Dalton said, “I was in constant contact with everybody throughout this whole process. I knew what was going into it. I think that was really it. And when it [a trade] wasn’t happening and this worked out for both of us to come together and for me to be a part of this team. I was ecstatic because I was hoping that was going to be the case.”

But fans need not go too far back in time to remember when another Bears quarterback was assured that he was the starter. In 2017, Mike Glennon signed with Chicago believing he was the starting quarterback. He was blindsided when Pace drafted Mitch Trubisky second overall.

[ Trubisky signs with Buffalo ]

Glennon started only four games in 2017 before the Bears moved on to Trubisky.

Dalton said Thursday that he is prepared to mentor a young quarterback, should the Bears draft one next month. And for what it’s worth, Dalton is a much better veteran option than Glennon was in 2017 – he could probably last more than four starts, if the Bears envision a rookie sitting on the bench for a while.

“I’ve been the starter and helped the backup throughout my career,” Dalton said. “I think it’s what you can do to help the next guy. We’ll see if that’s the case.”

What does this all mean for Foles? It doesn’t look good. If the Bears can find someone to take him off their hands, they probably will. If not, he could be the backup behind Dalton, with a potential rookie as the third-stringer.

Dalton said he has spoken with some of his new Bears teammates, but receiver Allen Robinson isn’t one of them. The Bears used the franchise tag on Robinson last week, a move that Robinson is unhappy about.

[ Hub Arkush: Bears fans have reason to be unhappy, but QB search isn’t over yet ]

“I’ve talked to a lot of guys on the team,” Dalton said. “It’s been awesome for me to join a new team and have so many guys reach out and so many guys welcome me to the team. So I’m very thankful for that I think it shows the culture we have here.”

Dalton’s relationship with head coach Matt Nagy was limited prior this week. He said they met once at the Pro Bowl. The two have gotten to know each other a little bit more over the past few days. Dalton said all his free agency discussions took place virtually.

As he studied the Bears’ offense, Dalton was intrigued by some of the adjustments the Bears made in December when they improved their run game and overall efficiency. He envisions a Bears offense that can do multiple things.

Dalton’s reception from Bears fans was not favorable as news broke earlier this week. Dalton doesn’t mind. He’s ready to turn the page. He’s ready to start Week 1.

“I’m here now,” Dalton said. “Hopefully everybody gets a chance to see who I am as a player, as a person, see what we’re going to do with this organization. I’m excited about the opportunity. Obviously, there’s been a lot of talk, but I’m not worried about any of that.”