With questions surrounding free agency, veteran quarterback Andy Dalton’s name has been floated in trade talk this week. General manager Dan Morgan is open to the idea — if Dalton is interested.
“I think there’s a chance somebody wants him,” Morgan told The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, via the team’s official website. “Andy’s a very good player, and he’s a great guy, a great culture fit for us. I haven’t talked to any teams about a trade, but I think if the opportunity came up I would talk to Andy, give him that option and let him explore a trade.”
It sounds like the suit version of “hit me up.”
Dalton is 15 years old and hasn’t been on a full-time roster since 2022 with New Orleans. In three years with the Panthers, he has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,643 yards with 10 TDs and seven INTs. He made one start in 2025, going 16-of-24 for 175 yards with an INT in a Week 8 loss to Buffalo.
The 38-year-old quarterback is certainly no spring chicken, but he could be seen as a veteran mentor to the budding QB. The Panthers would prefer to develop a younger option behind Bryce Young. If Morgan brings in a young backup, Dalton could be squeezed out of the lineup if he isn’t moved before training camp.
“I think we want to get a little younger and a little more athletic at that point as a backup,” Morgan said. “So we’ll see what happens from there.”
In that effort, a potential trade for outfielder Anthony Richardson was quickly floated, but Morgan chastised that idea, saying he wanted to draft and develop his own backup.
“We’re not shopping,” Morgan said. “I don’t give up draft picks. We have to build through the draft.”
The Panthers have seven picks in 2026, and Morgan likely wants more to fill out his growing roster. Trading Dalton probably wouldn’t bring more than a pick or a late rounder.