CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WNCN/AP) — The Carolina Panthers have signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, according to multiple reports.
The team is nearing a two-year, $10 million deal with Dalton who played the past season for the New Orleans Saints. The deal can’t become official until the start of the league year on Wednesday afternoon, the team said.
The 35-year-old Dalton has been to three Pro Bowls with the last one being in 2016. He has 38,150 career passing yards, with 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions, with a career passer rating of 87.6.
“He offers a capable starting-quality player who can plug in if the first pick isn’t ready to roll early in the season,” the Panthers said in a release Tuesday.
The Panthers traded up last week to get the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and are almost certain to use it on a quarterback — a position that has seen repeated turnover over the past five seasons in Carolina. So while Dalton could open the season as the starter if the rookie isn’t quite ready to play, eventually he is expected to be relegated to the role of mentor and backup quarterback.
