Panthers tabbed as potential landing spot for failed $160 million quarterback

USA TODAY names Carolina as one of several teams around the NFL who might sign Daniel Jones.

Tim Weaver | Nov 23, 2024

Nov 10, 2024; Munich, Germany; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) and New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) talk after the 2024 NFL Munich Game at Allianz Arena. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers entered Week 12 with a relatively uncertain situation at quarterback. Despite the steps forward we have seen Bryce Young take over the last few games, the team seems anything but sure that he's their franchise quarterback of the future. Head coach Dave Canales was hesitant to name Young the starter for tomorrow's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, let alone naming him the QB1 for the remainder of the 2024 NFL season.

A recent prediction from Joe Person at the Athletic said that we will see Andy Dalton on the field again at some point this year despite his struggles in his last four starts before a thumb injury from a car accident put him on the sidelines and Young back in the starting lineup.

Into that already unstable picture we can now throw another wild card. On Friday the New York Giants granted quarterback Daniel Jones his release, just a year and a half after signing him to a four-year contract extension worth up to a total of $160 million. That one went sour fast, and now Jones will begin looking for where to start his second at in the NFL.

On that subject the Panthers are one of the favorites - they currently have the best odds to sign Jones and several NFL analysts have named Carolina among potential landing spots, including USA TODAY's Ayrton Ostly.

USA TODAY on Daniel Jones-Panthers

"The Panthers are seeing better play on offense in recent weeks after Bryce Young was benched for a few weeks. Andy Dalton is a solid backup but that should not keep the franchise from bringing in a new face if possible. The Panthers have a corps of young pass catchers in Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker and Ja'Tavion Sanders and a solid offensive line. Head coach Dave Canales revived the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield as an offensive coordinator in Seattle and Tampa Bay, respectively. He could do so with Jones if Young regresses and the Panthers need options at quarterback."

We would have no problem with the Panthers signing Jones, but it would depend on the particulars. For one, the contract has to be along the lines of what a typical backup quarterback makes - not anywhere near the amount of money Jones was earning on his last deal from the Giants.

Just as importantly, the Panthers can't give up on Bryce Young unless he reverts back to the quarterback we saw in Weeks 1-2 earlier this season. The only way that their former number one overall pick is going to develop into a strong starter is if he continues getting live reps and building his confidence leading the offense, a process that's already underway.

If Jones is happy with a QB3 or QB2 role once Andy Dalton is out of the picture there's no reason not to pull the trigger on signing him. However, pulling the rug out from under Bryce Young and starting Jones anytime in 2024 would be a dreadful mistake.