Andy Dalton
Getty
The Panthers have traded Andy Dalton to the Eagles in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick
The Carolina Panthers have been making moves left and right early on this offseason in an effort to build off of their surprise playoff run from last season. The team believes it has its quarterback of the future, Bryce Young, leading the way now, which has resulted in the front office working on building the roster around him.
While Young is currently entrenched as the team’s starter, the Panthers want to have options they can turn to if things go south. Andy Dalton has been Young’s backup for the past few seasons, but after the team signed Kenny Pickett to a one-year, $7.5 million contract in free agency, that led Carolina to trade Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday afternoon.
Panthers Acquire 2027 Seventh-Round Pick in Exchange for Andy Dalton
Adam Schefter
Trade: Panthers are trading veteran QB Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick, per sources.
Dalton was initially selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, and he spent the first nine years of his career with the team, primarily working as their starting quarterback. During his time with Cincy, Dalton earned three Pro Bowl selections, but injuries and poor play eventually led to the team moving on from him.
Since then, Dalton has bounced around the league a bit, spending time with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints. He found a home with the Panthers, though, as he’s spent the past three years working as Young’s backup. While he’s not exactly a Pro Bowl-caliber player anymore, Dalton generally held his own when he found his way onto the field for Carolina (165/255, 1,643 YDS, 10 TD, 7 INT).
With Pickett arriving, though, that signaled the Panthers’ intention to move on from Dalton this offseason. The team that let Pickett walk in free agency, coincidentally, was the Eagles, and while they still have Tanner McKee on their depth chart, they have recently made a habit of acquiring and flipping quarterbacks for draft picks. That trend has continued, as Philly sent a 2027 seventh-round pick to Carolina in exchange for Dalton.
“Trade: Panthers are trading veteran QB Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick, per sources,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Panthers Set Quarterback Depth Chart with Andy Dalton Trade
Andy Dalton quarterback Philadelphia Eagles
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 30: Andy Dalton #14 of the Carolina Panthers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on November 30, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
While Pickett hasn’t been great early in his career, he’s a former first-round pick who the team can work on developing behind Young. Dalton’s knowledge of the team’s offense was certainly helpful, but this seems to be a sign that the team feels Young is its guy moving forward, as it no longer has the option to turn things over to Dalton should he struggle.
A third quarterback will likely be added at some point, whether it be through the draft or free agency, but getting a pick, even if it’s just a seventh-rounder in next year’s draft, is a good piece of business for the Panthers. This is Young’s team, and if there were any doubts about that, the decision to move on from Dalton only solidifies that train of thought.