Should Panthers bring back Andy Dalton? Making sense of backup spot behind Bryce Young
Bryce Young’s second-half ascension during the final eight weeks of the 2024 season should have the Panthers feeling relatively good about the stability of their quarterback position in 2025. But entering free agency, a notable cog in the QB depth chart is set to test the market.
Andy Dalton, Carolina’s incumbent backup signal-caller, is a pending free agent. After spending two years as Young’s sideline sounding board, Dalton’s future is somewhat open-ended, despite his outspoken desire to stick around.
The Panthers only have so much cap space, and Dalton — a 14-year pro — most likely won’t want to work for a minimal salary. If the Panthers decide to pay Dalton, that decision could impact the spending elsewhere on the roster. So, general manager Dan Morgan, head coach Dave Canales and football operations chief Brandt Tilis will need to weigh Dalton’s outlook before he hits the market on March 12.
With that said, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of retaining Dalton this offseason:
The argument for keeping Dalton
Dalton is an ideal backup QB. He has notable experience, intelligence and a team-first mindset. He also knows Young about as well as anyone within the organization. And he knows Canales’ offense and has had some success within it.
Dalton, at 37, is one of the older players in the league, but he still showed quite a bit of arm talent (989 passing yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions) during his five-game stretch as a starter last season. And while Dalton reveled in that short-lived revival as a starting QB, he knows his place within the lineup, which is first and foremost to serve Young as a conduit between the starter and the coaching staff.
Dalton helped Young develop study habits when he entered the NFL. He also showed the less-experienced QB how to manage and lead an NFL practice.
While Young now has the experience to take the baton and run with it, it never hurts to have someone more experienced to lean on. Dalton has seen everything there is to see in the NFL — he’s been through it all and understands how to manage the ups and downs of the league. Young’s game has matured, but he’s still played a fraction of the football that Dalton has endured.
Dalton’s job as a backup should be thought of as more of a guidance role than an insurance policy, though he is capable of wearing both hats (or helmets) when called upon. Chad Henne served in a similar capacity during Patrick Mahomes’ formative years with the Kansas City Chiefs. And even as Mahomes ascended into a Super Bowl MVP, the Chiefs held onto Henne because he knew Mahomes well and could see the game through a similar lens because of their shared study habits and experience together.
Dalton, like Henne with Mahomes, played a hand in developing Young, so keeping that continuity in practice and the film room can only help Young remain comfortable in his surroundings.
Also, like Henne during his run with Mahomes, Dalton can still play the game. Valuing the backup QB position has been en vogue for several years by perennial playoff contenders like the Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills. Tilis and Morgan have worked for two of those organizations, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them having a similar mindset on the job.
It’s important to know that if Young sustains a minor injury, the backup QB can fill in and give the team a chance to win. Dalton, the aging gunslinger, showed that ability during his brief tenure at the top of the depth chart.
The argument against keeping Dalton
The Panthers are projected to have roughly $20 million in salary cap space this offseason, according to Over The Cap. The team can create more cap space by making a collection of roster moves, but even then, Carolina will still be around the middle of the league in spending capability. So, essentially, every deal matters.
If the Panthers pay Dalton a suitable salary, perhaps comparable to his 2024 mark of $4 million, they’ll take away potential money from another position of need.
There’s an argument to be made, given the Panthers’ playoff hopeful status, that Carolina should spend more money on players who will be earmarked to play every week over a backup QB, who will ideally never see the field outside of blowout wins. There’s also an argument to be made that drafting a late-round QB to develop behind Young could give the Panthers a cost-controlled backup in the QB room for the next four years.
Dalton’s place on the roster could also impact the development of second-year QB Jack Plummer, who spent most of last season on the practice squad. While it’s not clear how Plummer is viewed within the organization, if Canales eventually wants to develop him further, he might want to give the young QB room to grow.
Kaye’s take: Bring back Dalton to Carolina
The Panthers’ salary cap situation isn’t an ideal setup for “luxuries” on the depth chart. However, re-signing Dalton should be seen as a further investment in Young and the team’s culture.
Similar to wide receiver Adam Thielen, Dalton is a knowledgeable and familiar entity for Young (and the rest of the roster), giving him a teammate support system that he’s grown accustomed to during his first two years in the league.
Young has endured enough volatility during his first two seasons to warrant some sort of stability in the QB room. Dalton is part of the norm, and after flipping the script toward the end of last season, Young’s development could further benefit from that sort of stability behind him.
Signing Dalton to a multiple-year deal could also lower his cap number to the point that it wouldn’t have too much impact on 2025 spending. The Panthers will have a surplus of cap space in 2026, and backloading a potential deal for Dalton is an option to service this year’s complicated cap situation.
Also, bringing back Dalton wouldn’t prevent the Panthers from bringing in a young draft pick to compete with Plummer for the No. 3 job. While the Panthers didn’t deem having a No. 3 QB on the 53-man roster as necessary in 2024, perhaps someone in this year’s draft class or an improved Plummer could convince them otherwise in the future.
This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
