Andy Dalton has spent the last three seasons as Bryce Young’s backup for the Carolina Panthers. He started seven games during that span, throwing for 1,643 yards, ten touchdowns, and seven interceptions, finishing with a 1-6 record. The Panthers decided to go a different path after signing Kenny Pickett to a one-year, $4 million contract with a maximum value of $7.5 million.
Carolina traded Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2027 seventh-round pick. The three-time Pro Bowler is one year removed from signing a reasonable two-year, $8 million extension with a maximum value of $10 million, including $6 million in guaranteed money. The Eagles would essentially take on Dalton’s base salary, guaranteed money, and workout bonus, inheriting a one-year, $4 million deal with $2 million guaranteed, while the Panthers would be responsible for the remaining signing bonus proration as dead cap, unless something changes.
The Carolina Panthers do a huge favor to facilitate the trade of a 3x-Pro Bowler
Quarterback Andy Dalton
Dec 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, to facilitate the trade, the Panthers restructured Andy Dalton’s contract by eating $2.5 million of his $4 million salary, leaving the Eagles with the remaining $1.5 million, which is fully guaranteed. As previously mentioned, teams typically inherit the base salary, guaranteed money, and bonuses (including option, per-game active, roster, and workout bonuses), excluding the signing bonus, which was already paid. However, if a team doesn’t want to inherit the entire salary, the former team may agree to absorb part of it to facilitate trade.
Re: Dalton’s salary — After the trade, it was reported as the Eagles paying $4M this season. Because of a contract restructure that had the Panthers take on a part of the base salary as a bonus, the Eagles are paying Dalton $1.5M this season.
What does that mean for the QB depth… https://t.co/qMKEZRDZOn
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) March 30, 2026
As a result, Carolina will incur $5.7 million in dead cap, per Over The Cap.