Carolina Panthers reach free-agent deal with QB Kenny Pickett
The Carolina Panthers are adding another former first-round pick to their quarterback depth chart.
The team agreed to terms with former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett on Monday, a league source told The Charlotte Observer. Pickett won’t be able to officially sign the contract until 4 p.m. Wednesday at the start of the new league year.
The deal is for one year with $4 million in guaranteed money and a $7.5 million max value, according to an ESPN report.
Pickett, once the signing becomes official, will join a quarterback group that includes starter Bryce Young and incumbent backup Andy Dalton.
Pickett, as of now, appears to be positioned to compete with Dalton for the No. 2 job.
Getting to know Kenny Pickett
Pickett, 27, spent last season with the Raiders as the team’s backup quarterback. He was traded twice last year after winning a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2024 season. Philadelphia sent him to Cleveland before the Browns traded Pickett to Las Vegas ahead of Week 1 of last season.
Pickett appeared in six games (two starts) for the Raiders. He threw for 188 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions with 62.2% completion percentage. He averaged just 4.2 yards per attempt.
The 2022 first-round pick is now on his fifth NFL team in five years. He was a two-year starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers before getting traded to Philadelphia in 2024. He has thrown for 4,953 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his career. He’s also picked up 328 yards and five touchdowns as a runner.
He has a career 16-11 record as a starter.
How this move impacts Young, Dalton
The Panthers — namely general manager Dan Morgan — have been adamant about getting a younger backup quarterback on the roster this offseason. Pickett is more than a decade younger than Dalton.
That said, Pickett isn’t necessarily a world-beater. Despite his record as a starter, he’s not a particularly efficient playmaker. But he does have better mobility at this stage in his career than Dalton, and he’s been a backup on a Super Bowl-winning team. He understands how to work in a winning environment, and he’s capable of playing if necessary.
The Panthers will need to figure out what they want to do with Dalton, who is guaranteed $2 million this season.
Carolina would only save about $151,000 by releasing the longtime backup before June 1, so it would make sense to be patient with his outlook. A trade would open up $2.15 million ahead of June 1, while a swap after that date would open up $4 million. A release in June would net a $2 million savings, according to Over the Cap.
Morgan has alluded to wanting to double-dip at the position in free agency and the draft this offseason. The team could still select a prospect in April with Dalton remaining on the roster. In theory, the Panthers could hold onto Dalton through the summer until there is a potential injury elsewhere to increase his value on the trade market. If a trade can’t be made, they can release him for half the savings.
Pickett isn’t a threat to Young, who enters an all-important fourth season. While he is eligible for a contract extension, the Panthers are likely to wait out Young’s 2026 performance to see how he handles another campaign as the unquestioned QB1. Pickett is an experienced backup, and he has played in several different offenses. He should be able to fill in if Young needs to miss a game or two during the upcoming campaign. Young, however, has only missed two games due to injury in his three-year career.
This story was originally published March 9, 2026 at 6:31 PM.
