The Carolina Panthers swung for the fences when the legal tampering period opened and hit a home run by landing edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, but that’s not the only addition the Panthers made on the first unofficial day of free agency.

The Panthers have found a new backup quarterback to add behind Bryce Young and it’s a position the team was widely expected to address. Carolina has agreed to a deal with former first-round pick Kenny Pickett on a one-year deal worth up to $7.5 million that includes $4 million in guarantees.

General manager Dan Morgan was hoping to land an athletic quarterback to have behind Young and while the emphasis was on adding a younger player, names such as Geno Smith and Tyrod Taylor still came up in conversation. Yet, the Panthers decided on adding the 27-year-old.

Andy Dalton’s future with the Carolina Panthers is now in question after Kenny Pickett signing

At the NFL Combine, the Panthers gave veteran quarterback Andy Dalton permission to seek a trade but so far no deal has materialized. The Panthers aren’t in any hurry to move Dalton and can wait it out a couple of weeks before making a decision. Trading Dalton after June 1 would save the Panthers $4 million in cap space and seems like the best move instead of releasing him.

“There’s a potential that somebody may want him,” Morgan told The Pat McAfee Show at the NFL Combine. “Andy’s a really good player, and he’s a great guy, great culture fit for us. I haven’t talked to any teams about a trade, but I think if the possibility did come up that I would talk to Andy, give him that option and let him explore a trade.”

Regardless of what happens with Dalton, Morgan got his wish of adding a younger and more athletic quarterback to the room. For more insight on what the Panthers are getting in Pickett and his recent stops, I spoke with A to Z Sports Pittsburgh’s Rob Gregson.

What the Panthers are getting in Kenny Pickett

“The Pittsburgh Steelers never intended for Kenny Pickett to become a journeyman quarterback, but since joining the Steelers in April of 2022, Pickett is now headed to his fifth team in less than four years. The Steelers could have opted to see it through with Pickett, but both sides were ready to go their separate ways. He was a backup with the Eagles, and then was traded to the Browns. Before suffering an injury in the offseason, there was a real shot that Pickett was named the starter, but he was shipped to Vegas after the injury. Nothing worked for Las Vegas in 2025, so Pickett should be happy about his move to the Carolinas.

He’s one of the higher-end backups in the league and gives the Panthers a nice insurance policy in the event something were to happen to Bryce Young.”

Pickett has played 36 games in his NFL and thrown for 4,953 yards, 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. On the ground, he has rushed for 328 yards and five touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers News

Panthers take advantage of another NFC team dragging their feet by making a massive splash to bring in a big-name pass rusher

The Carolina Panthers have landed Jaelan Phillips on a massive free agent signing.

Kole Noble