The Carolina Panthers signed Andy Dalton to mentor Bryce Young in the 2023 NFL season. The veteran quarterback believes he can still bring much more to a team. Likely set to be the Panthers' backup quarterback behind Young, Dalton still thinks he should be a starter.
Andy Dalton inked a two-year, $10 million contract with the Panthers in free agency. Dalton's contract suggests that teams around the league no longer view the 35-year-old as one of the 32 best quarterbacks in football.
“I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “But this is the situation I am in, and I understand that. As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.”
It didn't take long for Young to pass Dalton on the Panthers' depth chart. Although Carolina head coach Frank Reich has stopped short of naming Young the official starter, the rookie began minicamp by taking reps with the first-team offense.
It would be surprising if Young starts the season on the bench a few months after the Panthers traded up to select the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner with the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Panthers are Dalton's fifth team in as many years. He started nine games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 after Dak Prescott was lost for the season. Dalton made six starts for the Chicago Bears in 2021 in Justin Fields' rookie season.
The 2022 season was Dalton's best in at least five years. He went 6-8 as the New Orleans Saints' starting quarterback. Dalton had 2,871 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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