Andy Dalton is fully aware of his situation with the Carolina Panthers. Signed by the team as the veteran signal-caller alongside rookie Bryce Young, Dalton is basically taking on the role his current head coach had when he played for the franchise in 1995.
Frank Reich was brought into Carolina as the veteran bridge/mentor until Kerry Collins was ready to take control as the franchise quarterback. Dalton is in the same position as Reich was 28 years ago.
Reich surrendered the starting quarterback job three games into that 1995 season. Dalton, who turns 36 in October, plans to make his stay as starting quarterback a bit longer, should he win the job from Young out of camp.
“I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton said this week, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “This is the situation I am in, and I understand that.
“As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.”
Dalton ended up starting 14 games for the New Orleans Saints last season, originally signing as a backup to Jameis Winston. He completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,871 yards with 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions as the team went 6-8 in his starts. Dalton’s 95.2 passer rating was his highest in a season since 2015.
Turning 36 in October, Dalton showcased last year he can still start given the right situation. The Panthers are going to start their No. 1 overall pick at some point, even if Dalton will try to delay the inevitable.
“I am in a really, really good situation here,” Dalton said. “Frank Reich played until he was 38. He was a career backup. He understands the continuity you want in a [quarterback] room.”
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Author: Jeff Kerr
June 30, 2023 | 12:48 pm
