CHARLOTTE — The Panthers made the big move to go with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft Friday and apparently found him another mentor on Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, the Panthers are closing in on a two-year deal with veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. The agreement can only become official at the start of the league year on Wednesday afternoon.
The 35-year-old Dalton was with the Saints last season (starting 14 games) and has had stints with the Bears and Cowboys since playing his first nine seasons with the Bengals.
He has been to three Pro Bowls (the last in 2016) and has 38,150 career passing yards with 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions with a career passer rating of 87.6.
He offers a capable starter-quality player who can plug in if the first pick isn’t ready to roll early in the season.