Panthers and Andy Dalton agree to a two-year, $10 million deal

The Carolina Panthers and free agent quarterback Andy Dalton are expected to reach an agreement on a two-year, $10 million deal that includes $8 million fully guaranteed, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The source said that the maximum value of the contract is $17 million.

Dalton will give Carolina the veteran who has been seeking to help him bring in his quarterback of choice with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Panthers are focusing on CJ Stroud of Ohio and Bryce Young of Alabama with the first pick, according to sources, though they will continue to rate Anthony Richardson of Florida and Will Levis of Kentucky.

Dalton signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the New Orleans Saints this past March to serve as a backup quarterback, but he ended up being a permanent starter after James Winston was injured early in the season.

He started 14 games, completing 66.7% of his passes for 2,871 yards, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for the Saints, who finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs.

Dalton, who turned 35 in October, was a second-round pick for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft and has been the starter for most of his nine seasons with the franchise. The Bengals made five playoff appearances during his tenure but went 0-5 (he was injured in the 2015 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers).

He signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 as a backup to Dak Prescott but filled in as the starter for nine games when Prescott was injured. He also started six games for the Chicago Bears over the course of the 2021 season.

Dalton started 162 of 166 games during his career, completing 62.5% of his passes for 38,150 yards, 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions.

ESPN’s Katherine Terrell and David Newton contributed to this report.