Andy Dalton is Signing with the Panthers, Who I am Inclined to Root Against in 2023
What’s old is new again.
A team with aspirations of drafting a first-round quarterback signing Andy Dalton to be a placeholder? Nah, that would never work. Or would it?
I guess the Carolina Panthers are about to find out:
One of the hidden perks of the D.J. Moore trade — that’s what we’re calling it, right? — is that it provides a new favorite team to root for in 2023. So I might as well make the declaration now. Going into this season, my two favorite teams will be the Chicago Bears and whoever is playing the Panthers.
And that means the Bears will pulling hard against an old friend in Dalton. Tough break, dude.
With all due respect to Dalton, I’ve needed you to stink in a worse way than I do now. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thankful for your efforts in bringing along Justin Fields as a rookie. Your veteran leadership isn’t going unappreciated around here. And we’ll always have your public support of Fields as one of our favorite moments of what was otherwise a drab 2021 season. But the Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2024. That takes precedence when it comes to my rooting interests. The worse the Panthers are, the better the Bears’ pick will be next season.
So, here’s the game plan:
- Let the Panthers draft the rookie QB of their dreams
- Put Andy Dalton in the starting lineup to start the season
- Watch him rack up losses (Dalton is 33-51-1 as a starter since 2016)
- Wake up in February 2024 the morning after the Super Bowl, and realize the Bears have pick No. 32 (after winning the Super Bowl, of course) and a top-10 choice via the Panthers
And with the Panthers showing up on the Bears’ schedule, they can do their part in making this happen.
I’m not saying that one is a must-win, but … it is definitely a must-win.
