Andy Dalton (14) throws during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Bank of America Stadium. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Eagles trade 2027 NFL Draft pick for veteran QB Andy Dalton

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles know they have a starting quarterback who can win a Super Bowl in Jalen Hurts.

You're only as good as your depth chart in today's NFL, though, and Philly has proven in the recent past that having a strong backup can be the difference between winning or losing a Super Bowl.

For the uninitiated, revisit the story of Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles.

The Eagles lost a backup quarterback, Sam Howell, in free agency to the Dallas Cowboys. They've now replaced Howell, though. According to Tim McManus of ESPN, the Eagles have traded a seventh-round draft pick in 2027 to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton.

Dalton, the 35th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft (Cincinnati Bengals), is 38 years old heading into his 15th NFL season.

TRADE: Eagles acquiring QB Andy Dalton from the Panthers for a 2027 7th-round pick. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/0V3Sr8iBn7
— NFL (@NFL) March 18, 2026

Andy Dalton has had a long and successful NFL career

Dalton will fight for the backup quarterback spot in Philly with 2023 sixth-round draft pick Tanner McKee.

McKee was QB2 behind Hurts last season for the Eagles, and he ended up starting one game, throwing for 274 yards and a touchdown with a pick.

Dalton has largely been a backup quarterback since 2022, when he played in 14 games for the New Orleans Saints. Over the past three seasons in Carolina, he went 1-6 in seven starts, throwing for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

At one point in his career, early on with the Bengals, Dalton was one of the star quarterbacks in the league. He had three Pro Bowl seasons in Cincinnati and was an All-Pro and a Rookie of the Year candidate in 2011, his first season in the NFL after TCU.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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