Panthers-Bears Trade Proposal Would Bring in Ideal Bryce Young Backup

The Carolina Panthers are going to have a new backup quarterback this year. Whether they trade Andy Dalton or not, he has undoubtedly taken his final snap with the team. He'll probably end up being released.

Ironically, he was named as a good "bargain-bin" backup option by Sports Illustrated's Karl Rasmussen. That list of potential backup QBs this offseason includes someone who fits exactly what the Panthers are looking for.

Tyson Bagent is young, cheap, and can make plays with his legs. The Panthers and Bears know each other well, and they should reunite for a low-cost trade to bring Bagent to Carolina.

Panthers should trade for Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent

Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent (17) practices against the New Orleans Saints | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Andy Dalton served his purpose with the Carolina Panthers. He mentored Bryce Young, took over when needed for health and refocusing purposes, but two things are true: Young doesn't need a mentor anymore and he doesn't really have it. He was pretty awful in relief.

If Young goes down, the Panthers are in trouble, but they need to have someone who they can operate with in case of emergency. Dalton isn't that anymore, but Tyson Bagent could be. The Bears have already received calls about him.

Bagent has started a handful of games, and there was once a weird narrative that he should be the face of the team instead of Caleb Williams, but Bagent still won't cost much. The Panthers could probably send a 2027 fourth-round pick for him.

The Bears reportedly want a second or third-round pick for Bagent, but that's positively absurd. Bagent has three touchdowns and six interceptions. Sure, he's started, but he wasn't very good in that role.

Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent (17) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

"Bears have reportedly received plenty of interest from teams interested in seeing what Bagent has to offer as a starter, so it’s certainly possible a trade could come to fruition during the offseason," Rasmussen reported.

He described Bagent as an "accurate passer" who can "make plays with his legs," as he has logged two rushing touchdowns during his four career starts.

"Bagent is under contract for two more seasons at $4.75 million annually. Given the right opportunity, he could be a valuable asset for a team in need of another arm," Rasmussen concluded.

That is exactly what the Panthers need. They could get something similar in free agency, like with Trey Lance or Zach Wilson, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for Dan Morgan to call Ryan Poles and see if he could bring in Bagent.