Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Will Levis

Tuesday, February 18, 4:15 PM

The Carolina Panthers and quarterback Andy Dalton agreed on a two-year, $8 million deal on Tuesday that includes $6 million guaranteed and has a maximum value of $10 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The veteran signal-caller will remain in Carolina, where he's developed a close relationship with starter Bryce Young. Dalton, 37, ended up making five starts for the Panthers in 2024 after the team benched Young following his slow start. In his six appearances in his second year in Carolina, the Red Rifle completed 66.3% of his 160 pass attempts for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions before suffering a thumb injury in a car accident that gave the Panthers a reason to go back to Young to end the year. Young looked the best he has in his young career to close out 2024, so Dalton will be entrenched as his backup entering the 2025 season.

Thursday, June 26, 3:02 PM

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis finds himself as the backup quarterback to No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, just one season after he was looking to establish himself as the franchise QB of the future. Levis showed a few flashes of upside in his 21 game appearances since being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, but overall, it hasn't been good enough. Levis has completed 61% of his passes for 3,899 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions en route to a 5-16 record as a starter. Still, Levis continues to have a positive attitude and outlook heading into 2025. "Will has been great with how he's handled this kind of new situation," offensive coordinator Nick Holz said. "Attitude-wise, he's a good dude and a good teammate. I give him a lot of credit for that because when you draft another quarterback with the No. 1 pick, it's not an easy situation." The latest rumors suggest the team is willing to keep Levis on the roster, but that could be a negotiating tactic to eventually trade him at the end of training camp. While his accuracy and decision-making have drawn plenty of criticism, he has top-tier arm talent and could use a fresh start.