The Philadelphia Eagles are acquiring backup quarterback Andy Dalton from the Panthers, league sources said Wednesday, sending Carolina a 2027 seventh-round pick in return. The trade is pending a physical.
The Panthers made Dalton, 38, available via trade last month. They added Kenny Pickett in free agency last week to back up Bryce Young. Dalton will join Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee, who has one year left on his rookie contract, as quarterbacks on the Eagles’ roster.
Dalton, who turns 39 in October, is entering his 16th NFL season and his fourth as a backup, after spending most of the past three seasons on the bench behind Young. He went 1-6 in seven starts for Carolina, losing his only start in 2025, when he threw for 175 yards, was sacked seven times and committed three turnovers in a 40-9 home defeat to the Buffalo Bills.
Why now?
It was always a matter of when, not if, the Panthers would move on from Dalton this offseason, which began with general manager Dan Morgan telling reporters the team wanted a younger, more athletic quarterback behind Young. Once the Panthers signed the 27-year-old Pickett to a one-year, $4 million contract last week, it became a question of how much Morgan could get for a quarterback who was part of the same 2011 draft class as Cam Newton.
The answer turned out to be not much, but better than nothing. In addition to picking up the Eagles’ seventh-round pick in 2027, the Panthers also created more cap space ($2.1 million) than they would have by releasing Dalton before June 1 ($151,000), per Over the Cap. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
Now what for the Panthers?
With Young entering a critical fourth season that will help determine whether he gets a second contract (and the size of it), the Panthers didn’t want to bring an established veteran who might have designs on unseating Young as the starter. Pickett said this week his ultimate goal is becoming a starter again, but he emphasized his immediate priority is being a “positive addition” for the organization.
He and Young met at the 2021 Heisman Trophy ceremony and talked during the preseason two years ago, so the chemistry in the QB room should be good. But Morgan left open the possibility that the Panthers could double-dip at the position during free agency and the draft. If they do draft a QB, it figures to be a third-day selection. — Person
What this means for the Eagles
The big question is whether the Eagles will now trade McKee, the promising backup quarterback who is entering the final year of his contract. Dalton, whose contract also expires after 2026, would offer an experienced backup behind Hurts if they field a strong offer for McKee. The Eagles have been resistant to moving McKee in the past, and they like to tout how much they value the No. 2 quarterback role — their first Super Bowl victory came with backup Nick Foles starting — but the presence of Dalton could at least give them the flexibility to make that move.
With a $3.9 million salary, Dalton would be expensive for a No. 3 quarterback. He worked with Eagles quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier in Carolina. Hurts has missed only five starts because of injury in five years as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback, but the Eagles have needed to turn to backups such as Pickett and Gardner Minshew in high-leverage December games during that period. That should signal why they’ll make sure they’re comfortable with the No. 2 quarterback entering the season. — Zach Berman, Eagles beat writer
McKee’s future
After checking in with those familiar with McKee and his potential trade market, I would not take the Eagles’ trade for Dalton as an immediate step toward dealing McKee, who impressed with late-season starts in 2024 and remains QB2. For now, Dalton gives Philadelphia options moving forward, continuing Howie Roseman’s history of keeping his quarterback depth well-stocked. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles beat writer