It is the beginning of a new year with a new team for quarterback Andy Dalton.
Dalton, who bagged a two-year, $11 million contract ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, will stay in Carolina in the meantime. Despite, all indications that the Panthers would make rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young their starter, Dalton feels like he still has a lot to offer to enter his 13th season.
“I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told Fort Worth Star-Telegram in a recent phone interview. “But 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.”
It can be safely assumed that Dalton will be a substitute for Young, but rather than allow it to diminish his thinking, the veteran QB is focused on enhancing his skillset, particularly with a familiar face on the Panthers coaching staff.
“I am in a really, really good situation here; (head coach) Frank Reich played til he was 38. He was a career backup,” Dalton said. “He understands the continuity you want in a (quarterback) room. (Panthers quarterbacks coach) Josh McCown played until he was 40. Josh was my friend for the last 10 years, and now he’s my coach.”
Last year, Dalton appeared and started in 14 games for the New Orleans Saints, throwing for 2,871 yards with a 66.7 completion percentage while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also threw nine interceptions, which was lower than Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow.
He had proved that he can make plays when needed, but with the Saints concluding the season with a disappointing 7-10 losing record and promptly approaching Derek Carr in free agency, the message was clear for Dalton’s time in the Big Easy.
“I look back at the last couple of years and some of the situations didn’t turn out the way I would have liked,” Dalton said. “Last year, I felt personally I felt I played good football, but we didn’t win as many games and that is the most important thing. I have confidence in who I am as a player. Not a lot of people can say, ‘This is Year 13 in the NFL.’ I feel good about where I am. It’s fun to be in this position, to help the next generation of quarterbacks.”
While Andy Dalton has not led an NFL team to a winning record since 2015, he still has the zeal to play and win. If Young struggles, he will be waiting in the wings, ready to grab the opportunity to prove that he still has what it takes to be a starting-calibre signal caller in the NFL.
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