The Eagles are moving on from Andy Dalton, with Mike Garafolo reporting that Philadelphia will release the veteran quarterback on Friday.
That leaves Tanner McKee and Cole Payton as the backups behind Jalen Hurts, a setup that became clearer once McKee passed Dalton on the depth chart. Dalton had initially won the tight training camp competition after the Eagles acquired him from Carolina, but his grip on the job didn’t last.
The turning point came in Week 2 against the Bears. Dalton was forced into the game while Hurts was being checked for a concussion, and he threw an interception in the end zone. After that, McKee took over the primary backup role.
Philadelphia had kept things crowded at quarterback, carrying Dalton, McKee and Payton along with Hurts on the 53-man roster. That gave the Eagles four quarterbacks on the roster, an uncommon move.
Dalton is 38 and was a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2011. He was in the final year of the seven-year, $97.09 million contract he signed in Cincinnati, a deal that included $17 million guaranteed before the Bengals cut him.
From there, Dalton kept finding work. He signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys after the draft as a backup, then later joined the Bears on a contract for the 2021 season as their starter before the team eventually turned to rookie Justin Fields.
He also spent time with the Saints on a one-year deal before landing a two-year contract with Carolina. The Panthers then re-signed him to a two-year, $8 million extension last offseason, and eventually traded him to Philadelphia this offseason for a 2027 seventh-round pick.
Dalton played in four games for the Panthers in 2025, making one start. He finished 25 of 37 passing for 293 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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McMillan said the Lions game started to feel different almost immediately, and the numbers backed it up in a big way. He piled up 14 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns, a day that put him in rare franchise company and raised the question of whether Carolina has finally found a true centerpiece in the passing game. The broader significance is obvious enough, but the part that makes the performance stand out is how quickly it seemed the Panthers themselves understood they were watching something more than a routine breakout. [Read more 🡒]
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Panthers Keep Tweaking Two Depth Spots Fans Should Watch Closely
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The shuffle did not stop there, either. The Panthers also moved on from outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon, cornerback Robert Rochell and offensive lineman Isaia Glass on the practice squad, another sign that the club is still adjusting depth spots and keeping options open as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]