Panthers News: Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Taylor Moton and Ejiro Evero
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers QB is NFL's best backup
While all the hype has centered on Bryce Young as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers are also asking a lot from Andy Dalton after he joined in free agency. The veteran is expected to be a capable performer that can provide a prominent mentor presence for the rookie during a hugely important transition from college to the pros.
Dalton's taken on these responsibilities extremely well throughout the offseason period so far. He's still getting reps and remains atop the quarterback depth chart currently, but that is unlikely to be the case by the time Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons rolls around.
It's something Dalton's accepted at this stage of his career. And when ranking the NFL's best backup quarterbacks recently, Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated placed the former second-round selection at No. 1 on his list.
"[Andy] Dalton holds the top spot on the QB2 rankings because he’s already doing a remarkable job as Bryce Young’s hype man. The best backup quarterbacks not only push the starter in practices, but also mentally in the film room, and they’re not afraid to share advice from past experiences. Young will benefit from Dalton, who can also play in case of emergency. Dalton is a proven winner with a career record of 83-77-2, and he has thrown for 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions."
- Gilberto Manzano, Sports Illustrated
Dalton is a nice insurance policy in the event Young needs additional time to develop or gets hurt at any stage. The veteran has seen and done it all, which is counsel the Alabama product should seek constantly before and during the campaign.