On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers made a major announcement when they named Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback for the 2021 season. This move comes after the team parted ways with former starter Teddy Bridgewater in the offseason.
Dalton, a 10-year veteran, has been in the NFL since 2011 when he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent nine seasons with the Bengals, leading them to five playoff appearances and two division titles. He was released by the Bengals in 2020 and signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he started five games and threw for 1,186 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Panthers are hoping that Dalton can provide some stability at the quarterback position, which has been a revolving door since Cam Newton left after the 2019 season. Bridgewater started 15 games for the Panthers last season, but his performance was inconsistent and the team decided to move on.
Dalton is expected to be the starter for the 2021 season, but the team is also looking at other options. They recently signed former New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham and have also been linked to free agent quarterbacks such as Jameis Winston and Tyrod Taylor.
It remains to be seen if Dalton will be able to hold onto the starting job for the entire season. He has plenty of experience and has proven he can be successful in the NFL, but he will have to prove himself in Carolina if he wants to keep the job. The Panthers have a talented roster and are hoping to make a playoff run this season, so they will need strong play from their quarterback if they want to make that happen.
Only time will tell if Dalton will be able to lead the Panthers to success this season, but for now he is the starting quarterback and has a chance to prove himself. It will be interesting to see how he performs in Carolina and if he can help turn the team around.