Philadelphia Eagles Acquire Andy Dalton
The Philadelphia Eagles have made a notable move by trading for a backup quarterback to support their starter, Jalen Hurts. They’ve brought in veteran quarterback Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers, giving up a seventh-round draft pick in the process.
Dalton, who is 38 years old, played with the Panthers for the last three seasons, mostly as a backup to Bryce Young, this year’s first overall pick. Interestingly, the team’s head coach, Dave Canales, decided to bench Young at the start of the season, which allowed Dalton to step in as a starter for five games. Unfortunately, his record during that time was just 1-4 before Young returned to the field.
Before his time with Carolina, Dalton spent nine seasons as a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals. He had a record of 70 wins to 61 losses, making the playoffs four years in a row from 2011 to 2014, although the Bengals couldn’t secure a playoff victory during that span.
After the Bengals opted for Joe Burrow as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Dalton found himself looking for a new team. He began the 2021 season with the Dallas Cowboys and then the Chicago Bears. In 2022, he joined the New Orleans Saints as their full-time starter, leading the team with a record of 6-8 across 14 games before moving on to the Panthers.
Dalton’s arrival in Philadelphia raises some eyebrows, especially since Tanner McKee, who backed up Hurts last season, performed well during the preseason. It appears Dalton’s signing could lead to a competitive atmosphere in training camp, but he seems content with the possibility of being a full-time roster member, whether or not he starts.
Another factor is the Panthers’ recent acquisition of Kenny Pickett, which made Dalton expendable. As the Eagles gear up for the 2026 season, they naturally hope for Hurts to remain healthy and play through all 17 games, yet last season wasn’t his finest. Under offensive coordinator Kevin Pattullo, who faced some backlash from fans, the team struggled at times.
Philadelphia finished the previous season with an 11-6 record, but they were eliminated in the wild card round by the San Francisco 49ers. Shortly after this loss, Pattullo was let go, leading the Eagles to hire Sean Mannion, previously a quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers, as his replacement.
