CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers presumably have their new backup for Bryce Young — and it’s a player the former staff scouted when the organization was searching for a quarterback before drafting Young.

The Panthers have agreed to terms with Kenny Pickett on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $4 million, with incentives that could take it to $7.5 million, according to league sources. The 27-year-old Pickett was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, when former Panthers coach Matt Rhule and then-GM Scott Fitterer evaluated him before the draft.

Pickett went 14-10 in two seasons as the Steelers’ starter before spending the past two years as a backup in Philadelphia and Las Vegas. He has a career completion percentage of 62.2, with as many interceptions (16) as touchdowns (16).

After three seasons with Andy Dalton, the Panthers have been looking to get younger and more athletic at the QB2 spot behind Young. The team recently gave the 38-year-old Dalton permission to seek a trade, but nothing has materialized to this point.

With only minimal cap savings if they were to release him, the Panthers could choose to hold on to Dalton and have him compete with Pickett for the backup job.

How he fits

Pickett’s fit might not be as clear as the gloves he wears on his small-ish hands, which were a storyline before the 2022 draft. For one thing, the Panthers still have Dalton on the roster. But let’s get to that in the section below. Clearly, Dave Canales and his staff saw athleticism and upside in Pickett. Plus, he’s accustomed to the backup role and presumably will be OK sitting behind Young as the 2023 No. 1 pick enters his fourth season. The same might not have been true had the Panthers signed someone like Geno Smith, who was with Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik in Seattle.

2026 roster impact

OK, this is where it gets kind of interesting. The Panthers wouldn’t have given Dalton permission to seek a trade if he was the clear favorite to keep the backup job for a fourth season. That’s obviously not the case. But coaches and players like Dalton, who started five games in 2024 after Canales benched Young in Week 2. Young eventually reclaimed the job after Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident. Because of cap implications (addressed below), the Panthers aren’t in any hurry to move on from Dalton. But there’s also a chance another quarterback enters the mix. GM Dan Morgan said at the combine he might double-dip at QB with one in free agency and the draft.

Cap update

Let’s start with Dalton. The Panthers clear $2.1 million in cap space by trading Dalton, and can create $2 million in cap room by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation. Releasing him before June 1 would create cap savings of only $151,331, with $5.7 million in dead money, according to Over the Cap. Pickett’s incentive-laden deal won’t create much of a strain on the cap. Even if Pickett hits his incentives, those would count against next year’s cap.

Person’s takeaway

I’ve been reporting for several weeks the Panthers were looking for a younger and more mobile QB. In Dalton’s lone start last year against Buffalo, he was unable to escape the pass rush in the Bills’ 40-9 win. Pickett underperformed his draft position in Pittsburgh, and hasn’t had a chance to do much since. Does he give the Panthers a better chance to win than Dalton in the event of an injury to Young? I guess. But Canales and company weren’t looking for a QB to challenge Young, whose future remains the most important issue facing the franchise. Pickett is a fine backup who figures to know his role.