CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Andy Dalton has been here before.
Although he’s new to Charlotte and has never worked with Panthers head coach Frank Reich, Dalton knows what it’s like to be the veteran quarterback who shepherds a highly drafted rookie signal-caller through the growing pains of his first season in the NFL.
Two seasons ago, Dalton — the former Cincinnati Bengals franchise quarterback from 2011 to 2019 — mentored Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields — the 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft — through the woes of a whirlwind rookie campaign.
Although Dalton won the starting job out of training camp in Chicago, he was pulled for Fields during the first half of the season, and the quarterback duo swapped the role — back and forth — throughout the remainder of the campaign.
With the Panthers set to pick a new face of the franchise with the first overall pick next week, Dalton seems content in his role as the presumed “bridge” quarterback in the locker room.
“Well, I think there’s a lot that I can bring to the room to help whoever is going to be in there,” Dalton said during a ZOOM call with media on Wednesday. “I was him 13 years ago, coming in as a rookie — and with the expectation of playing and all the stuff that goes into it. So I think there will be some experience that I can bring in to help out with.”
Dalton has thrown for 38,150 yards, 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions during his 12-year NFL career. He has automatic clout in the locker room as one of the most experienced and accomplished players on the team.
That experience in the league will be vital for the incoming rookie quarterback — no matter who the pick is at No. 1.
“I think for me, because I’ve started for most of my career, I know what meetings are like,” Dalton said. “I know the conversations that need to be had, the topics that need to be brought up. And, I think for me, I’m just the same person that I am as when I’m playing as when I haven’t been. And so, the same questions that I’ll have or same things that need to be talked about, I’m going to ask just because, as you know, in this league, you’re one play away from being the guy out there and you want to make sure everybody’s on the same page with it all.”
The Panthers are weighing their options with the first overall pick. They’ve hosted the likes of Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis at Bank of America Stadium over the past month.
Dalton has met some of those prospects, but he claims to have little do with the process. His work with the eventual draft choice will begin in earnest in May.
Dalton, who started as a rookie following the 2011 lockout, believes the incoming rookie will need to pay attention to the other side of the ball throughout the summer.
“I think the biggest thing is you got to learn quickly, not only what you’re doing, but how NFL defenses play — with the timing and rhythm that you need to play at this level,” Dalton said. “I think that’s the biggest adjustments coming in.”
Dalton said the allure of Carolina was working with Reich and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, who he has established relationships with. Dalton acknowledged that he nearly joined the Indianapolis Colts at one point when Reich was there, but that the timing just didn’t work out.
Dalton has bounced around from Dallas to Chicago to New Orleans on one-year deals since leaving Cincinnati. After signing a two-year, $10 million deal with the Panthers in March, he’s looking to contribute in any way he can — from mentor to main man.
“I’m here to be the best player that I can be and help this team in as many ways as I can,” Dalton said. “If it happens to be where I’m playing, that’s awesome. I feel like that’s what I’ve done my whole career, everywhere I’ve been.”
