The NFL preseason wraps with final cuts looming and teams eyeing upgrades at backup quarterback. The piece maps potential trades of veterans like Jameis Winston, Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Trey Lance and Andy Dalton, highlighting how a smart move could shore up depth behind a starter while shedding salary or stockpiling late picks. The Browns, Vikings, Rams, Cowboys, Panthers and Falcons surface as plausible destinations or targets as rosters trim from 90 to 53.

Winston’s extensive starting experience and the Vikings’ depth concerns mix with offensive familiarity to fuel chatter about a Winston-to-Mi(n)nesota swap. Cousins-to-Rams surfaces as a stopgap, leveraging Sean McVay’s system while Stafford ages. Lance’s trajectory elsewhere, Heinicke’s value on the trade market, and Dalton’s Carolina status add nuance to the week’s cut-day calculus, with teams weighing future flexibility against current needs.

Fantasy managers should watch for teams that prioritize immediate innings-eater depth at QB behind a likely Week 1 starter, as well as veteran backups who could step into a larger role if called upon. The weekend’s roster moves could tilt late-season depth charts, influencing streaming and bench strategies across fantasy formats.

Carolina’s 20-3 loss to Houston in the preseason exposed both bright spots and rough edges for the Panthers, but for fantasy managers the standout moments were clear. Brycen Tremayne led the offense with 46 receiving yards on three catches, averaging 15.3 yards per grab and hauling a 23-yard score-like hook in the third; Jarrett Kingston handled all 32 snaps at center with zero pressures and earned game-high reliability; Yosh Nijman allowed zero pressures across his 32 snaps at right tackle and extra work at left tackle, while Brady Christensen provided steady value on the left edge. Emani Bailey delivered a 66.3 grade on a complementary backfield role. On the quarterback side, Andy Dalton left with an elbow issue after two completions on four attempts for 22 yards, while Jack Plummer finished 10 of 14 for 83 yards with two interceptions, and Ja'Tavion Sanders dropped a third-down ball that stalled Carolina’s opening drive.

Defensively, Jon Rhattigan scored a 90.0, pacing three pressures and an 83.5 coverage grade; Trevin Wallace (83.7 coverage), Bam Martin-Scott (79.5), J.J. Weaver (72.3), and Lathan Ransom (71.0) also flashed in coverage and pressure. The defense showed a few notable stops, but the unit also surrendered a handful of plays that will need cleaner technique and better situational awareness in August. The worst marks belonged to S Jack Henderson (47.9), Boogie Basham (47.9), Shy Tuttle (47.4), Thomas Incoom (44.1), and A’Shawn Robinson (29.5) overall, with Basham/Incoom delivering five combined pressures but Robinson’s coverage grade dragging the unit.

Bottom line: Tremayne, Kingston, Nijman, Christensen and Bailey surfaced as likely roster fixtures or practice-squad type contributors, while Dalton’s health and the QB room’s continuity will be closely watched into Week 1 prep. On defense, Rhattigan and Wallace offered playmaking upside, but the trenches and secondary showed a mix of solid fundamentals and needed improvements as Carolina builds toward the regular season.

Dalton exited Carolina's Saturday preseason game against Houston with a right elbow sprain after a late hit by Danielle Hunter, and he did not return. He played seven plays across one series, going 2-of-4 for 22 yards and not taking a sack. Bryce Young led two early drives (0-for-2) before Dalton was sidelined, and Jack Plummer stepped in for Carolina. The Panthers fell 20-3 as Plummer and Young rotated through the remainder of the game. Dalton will be evaluated tomorrow as Carolina shifts its attention to QB depth and the early-season plan. In the prior first preseason game, Dalton went 13-of-19 for 101 yards with an interception and no TDs. Dalton’s career arc includes a stint with Cincinnati, followed by time with Dallas before landing in Carolina in 2023. This injury adds uncertainty to the Panthers’ quarterback group as they head toward Week 1 preparations.

Dalton elbow injury shutters the Panthers’ preseason night in Houston, forcing Carolina to rely on Bryce Young and rookie Jack Plummer as backups. Dalton exited after a seven-play series, finishing 2-of-4 for 22 yards, with no sacks charged. Carolina trailed 7-0 when the injury occurred and went into halftime down 10-3 as Young and Plummer rotated in unfinished drives. Tetairoa McMillan drew a Dalton target on a third-and-8 that fell incomplete to cap the first Panthers series before the injury.

Dalton, 37, signed with Carolina in 2023 and has compiled long NFL experience (175 games, ~39,500 yards, 253 TDs). In the season opener of the 2025 preseason he went 13-of-19 for 101 yards with a pick. The injury creates a sharp hinge point for Carolina’s QB depth and may accelerate Young’s development path, with Plummer stepping in behind him and McMillan potentially earning more trust in the passing game.

From a fantasy lens, the setback tightens Carolina’s early-quarterback uncertainty. If Dalton misses time, Young’s reps could surge, and Plummer’s late-week opportunities may be pivotal for roster planning. The hit by Danielle Hunter underscored Houston’s push, while Young’s minimal stats leave a wait-and-see mood around the Panthers’ Week 1 plan.

Carolina’s 2025 summer depth chart is out again, and little has changed from the prior version as they head toward the second preseason game. Bryce Young remains the clear starter, with Andy Dalton and Jack Plummer in the QB room. In the backfield, Chuba Hubbard sits atop the depth chart, followed by Rico Dowdle, Trevor Etienne, Raheem Blackshear, Emani Bailey, and Kayron Lynch-Adams in reserve order. The Panthers deploy a crowded receiver corps led by Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan with Adam Thielen as their veteran this season. Ja’Tavion Sanders anchors the tight end group with Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell behind him. The offensive line sees Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen, Michael Tarquin, Damien Lewis, Chandler Zavala, and Brandon Walton in the starting positions, with Austin Corbett winning the center job over Cade Mays. The center competition is resolved while No.2 safety and kicking remain open through camp. On defense, Wharton shifts from second-string end to first-string tackle, nudging Brown to the bench at top DT. Special teams remain fluid with Wright vs. Fitzgerald at kicker and Blackshear as a return option. Follow @ThePanthersWire for updates as Canales tightens the roster for the preseason and beyond.