Add another name to the growing list of potential options the New York Jets could add as their bridge quarterback for the 2026 season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Carolina Panthers have received calls about Andy Dalton, who played under Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich in 2023.
Dalton, 38, has spent the past three seasons with the Panthers after the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Throughout his time in Carolina, the “Red Rifle” has appeared in 13 games and made seven starts. In his starts, he has led the Panthers to a 1-6 record, completing 64.7% of his passes for 1,643 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Dalton and Reich crossed paths during the 2023 season, when the now-64-year-old was Carolina’s head coach before getting canned following a 1-10 start.
Under Reich, Dalton made one start, completing 34 of 58 passes (58.6%) for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
If the Jets were to acquire the 38-year-old, he would come at an affordable price, which is crucial for the organization. Gang Green would only take on a $3.6 million cap hit for the 2026 season.
With the NFL Scouting Combine underway, bringing together league executives, coaches, agents, and media, rumors are beginning to swirl as they do every year around this time.
As the agent of a quarterback whose name has surfaced in recent trade chatter told Jets X-Factor, this is typically the time of year when front offices start gauging interest around the league, rather than actively working to construct deals.
However, there are exceptions, as the Jets agreed with the Tennessee Titans on a deal, sending former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee in exchange for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat.
It remains to be seen whether Dalton ultimately becomes a real option for the Jets or if the recent rumors are just early offseason noise, but his ties to Reich and cheap contract fit exactly what the team should covet in their bridge QB for the 2026 season.
