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The Minnesota Vikings are in the market for an extra quarterback this offseason, outwardly announcing that no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of a passer to compete against or support J.J. McCarthy in 2026. The list of options is already behemoth, but on Wednesday, Andy Dalton entered the chart.
Dalton isn’t a long-term answer, but he fits as a steady QB2 if the Vikings want a low-drama insurance policy.
Dalton is apparently drawing trade interest. He’d make sense for Minnesota if it wants a steady-eddy QB2.
Andy Dalton Has Surfaced in Minnesota’s Quarterback Conversation
The Red Rifle struts into the Vikings’ rumor mill.
Adam Schefter: Teams Have Called about Dalton Trade
ESPN’s Adam Schefter spilled the beans: “Another available QB: Carolina has been getting calls about Andy Dalton for a potential trade, per sources.”
The Athletic‘sDaniel Person added, “The Carolina Panthers have not disguised their plans at the backup quarterback position — with the outside world or with Andy Dalton, whose time with the Panthers could be nearing an end.”
“General manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday that he informed Dalton the Panthers intend to add another quarterback to compete for the backup spot behind Bryce Young — the job Dalton held for Young’s first three seasons.”
Dalton won’t be Vikings fans’ first choice, but he’s experienced and may be available.
Person also noted on Dalton, “ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the Panthers have fielded calls about Dalton. That does not guarantee they will find a robust market for the 38-year-old quarterback. Two landing spots that could make sense are the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, both of whom have assistant coaches with ties to Dalton.”
“Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich was the Panthers’ head coach when they signed Dalton in 2023, while Vikings quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Josh McCown was on Reich’s staff. Dalton is 1-6 in seven starts with Carolina, including a 1-4 mark in 2024 after Dave Canales benched Young in Week 3 following a slow start. The Panthers would create $2.2 million in salary-cap space by trading Dalton, with $3.7 million in dead money.”
The Insurance Option for McCarthy
Multiple theories regarding what Minnesota will do at quarterback have already rocked the offseason. The club has five main paths:
- Do nothing and roll with McCarthy as the starter, signing another Carson Wentz-type as the QB2.
- Sign a better backup and Wentz while remaining all-in with McCarthy.
- Sign or trade for a high-upside youngster like Anthony Richardson or Will Levis to compete with McCarthy this summer.
- Obtain a passer who will probably defeat McCarthy in a summer camp battle — like Kyler Murray.
- Somehow land a really big fish like Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson.
Dalton would fall into the second category; some might argue the first.
An Already Huge List
Minnesota’s list of possible quarterback additions is massive. Utterly massive.
Adding Dalton to the mix, here’s the current menu:
- Aaron Rodgers
- Andy Dalton (trade)
- Anthony Richardson (trade)
- Carson Wentz
- Case Keenum
- Daniel Jones
- Davis Mills (trade)
- Derek Carr (trade)
- Drew Lock (trade)
- Gardner Minshew
- Jake Browning
- Jalen Milroe (trade)
- Jameis Winston (trade)
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Kyler Murray (trade)
- Mac Jones (trade)
- Malik Willis
- Marcus Mariota
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Russell Wilson
- Spencer Rattler (trade)
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Tua Tagovailoa (trade)
- Tyrod Taylor
- Will Levis (trade)
- Zach Wilson
Yes, the list is approaching 30 dudes.
Most consider a player like Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, Kirk Cousins, or Malik Willis as the frontrunner to land in Minnesota — a guy from Option No. 4 on the list above who can either compete with McCarthy or take his job.
Dalton’s Most Recent Performance(s)
Dalton is basically Kirk Cousins with less criticism from naysayers. His teams have compiled an 84-83-3 win-loss record on his watch, and he has faithfully started in the NFL for about a decade (2011-2020). In recent years, he’s served mostly as a backup, sans the 2022 campaign when injuries nudged him to the top of the New Orleans Saints’ depth chart.
Here’s his career resume through 15 seasons:
- Cincinnati Bengals (2011–2019)
- Dallas Cowboys (2020)
- Chicago Bears (2021)
- New Orleans Saints (2022)
- Carolina Panthers (2023–now)
In the last three years, while playing minimally in Carolina, Dalton has banked a 0.038 EPA+CPOE. For perspective, that is akin to the 2025 performance of Tyrod Taylor, Quinn Ewers, and Jake Browning. Minnesota would basically get a game manager at this stage of Dalton’s career and probably a guy who wouldn’t immediately threaten McCarthy’s job.
He’ll turn 39 in October.