Panthers veteran QB Andy Dalton is set to enter this offseason as an impending free agent. He’s hoping to be back in Carolina in 2025 and has had “great conversations” with people around the organization. 

“I’ve loved it here,” Dalton said, via Alex Zeitlow of the Charlotte Observer. “I’d love to be a part of this thing. I’d love to get to be part of it when it turns around and the progression of it and get another year with this group and another couple years with it. But we got to go through the process of it all. I’ve had great conversations with everybody, so I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.”

Dalton would continue playing the mentor role to Bryce Young, who will be entering the third year of his career in 2025. Young commented on growing “super close” to Dalton this season. 

“Me and Andy are super close,” Young said. “From when I first got here, just being able to talk with him through things. Him having perspective on a situation I’d never been a part of, I was always leaning on him. Always having conversations. … Having a guy like that, who really does it for the right reasons and wants to help, that’s super rare, so I’m super grateful for that.”

Panthers GM Dan Morgan also acknowledged the relationship Dalton established with Young. 

“I know that Andy is a really supportive teammate, and I know that him and Bryce have a super close relationship. So you definitely have to say that Andy was there for him and one of his biggest fans, and I’m sure he’ll tell you he’s super proud of him too,” Morgan said. 

Dalton, 37, is a former second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2011. He was entering the final year of his seven-year, $97.09 million contract, which included $17 million guaranteed when Cincinnati cut him loose.

Dalton signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys after the draft as a backup. The Bears later signed Dalton to a contract for the 2021 season as their starter before eventually turning to rookie Justin Fields.

Dalton joined the Saints on a one-year deal before signing a two-year contract with Carolina last offseason. 

In 2024, Dalton appeared in six games and started five times for the Panthers, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.