Eagles acquire Andy Dalton from Panthers: What does it mean for Tanner McKee?

The Eagles have acquired quarterback Andy Dalton from the Panthers, shoring up their depth behind starter Jalen Hurts, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms. Philadelphia is sending a seventh-round pick to Carolina in exchange.

Dalton, 38, spent the last three seasons in Carolina, mostly backing up Bryce Young but also taking over as the starter for a five-game stretch in 2024. After spending the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Bengals, he spent 2020 with the Cowboys, 2021 with the Bears and 2022 with the Saints before landing with the Panthers. He made one start in 2025, completing 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards with no touchdowns and one interception while taking seven sacks in a 40-9 loss to the Bills in Week 8.

Hurts remains firmly entrenched as Philadelphia's starter, and Tanner McKee is still on the roster as his primary backup. Adding Dalton could be important as the Eagles adjust to new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, 33, who will be calling plays for the first time in his career. Mannion figures to bring more traditional passing concepts to the City of Brotherly Love. Dalton, who has experience in a variety of schemes, could be a key connecting point.

The Panthers, meanwhile, signed Kenny Pickett as their backup quarterback this offseason, making Dalton expendable.

Does Andy Dalton's arrival signal a Tanner McKee trade?

Again, McKee is on the Eagles ... for now. The 2023 sixth-round pick showed an intriguing skill set in very limited action in 2024, going 30-for-45 for 323 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions across two games. Most of the production came in Week 18 against the Giants, but one week before, he threw two touchdowns on just four pass attempts in a blowout win over the Cowboys

McKee didn't show as well in his Week 18 start in 2025 -- a loss to the Commanders -- but he went 20-for-25 for 252 yards (10.1 yards per attempt) with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the 2025 preseason.

Now, it is vital to understand these are tiny sample sizes. It's also vital to understand that teams can become interested in tiny sample sizes. McKee was a former top-50 recruit. He looks the part at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, and he's just 25 years old. Teams have reportedly shown interest this offseason. The Eagles haven't budged yet, but perhaps the Dalton addition shows they're warming to the idea.

Dalton is a high-level backup. He isn't the best one in the league, but there are certainly worse options across the NFL's second stringers. Plus, if Hurts gets hurt, the Eagles are already in enough trouble as is. For all the debate around Hurts, he has generally been available, starting at least 15 games each of the last five seasons. Dalton's addition points toward Philadelphia at least considering moving McKee, but it doesn't guarantee it. The Eagles have had three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster each of the least three seasons. Perhaps it's Hurts, McKee and Dalton in 2026. Perhaps it's Hurts, Dalton and a rookie. We'll see.

Potential landing spots for Tanner McKee

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona has Jacoby Brissett in place and very much feels like a team in contention for the 2027 No. 1 overall pick. Mike LaFleur, in his first year, could be fine with that. He also might want to see what's possible with McKee. If it doesn't work out, the Cardinals likely weren't looking at winning much in 2026 anyway. If it does work out -- highly unlikely but possible -- LaFleur's first year would be an unmitigated success. Perhaps there's a middle ground where McKee looks OK, and at the very least the Cardinals have a potential long-term backup.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers owner Art Rooney II has insisted the team won't have any sort of reset year, but what if Aaron Rodgers doesn't return? Pittsburgh is already late on the quarterback carousel and has all its eggs in the Rodgers return basket, very much like last year. McKee could maybe make things work in the Steel City, where DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman form a solid top two wide receivers. Should McKee perform well, the Steelers are probably similar to what the Steelers have been for the last several years: a high-floor but relatively low-ceiling team. If McKee underwhelms, Pittsburgh could begin anew in the 2027 NFL Draft, which appears loaded at quarterback.

Green Bay Packers

Green Bay lost Malik Willis in free agency, and while Jordan Love is entrenched as the starter, the Packers know the importance of a good quarterback. Willis came in and played a key role in multiple games each of the past two seasons.