QB Andy Dalton (quad) back at practice with Panthers

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton returned to practice Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers. Dalton, expected to serve as the backup to second-year quarterback Bryce Young, suffered a quad injury two weeks ago. Undrafted rookie Jack Plummer, who spent his final college season at Louisville in 2023, moved to No. 2 on the depth chart in Dalton's absence. The 36-year-old Dalton was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft. He spent nine seasons there, earning three Pro Bowl selections. Since then, he spent single seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints before signing a two-year, $10 million deal with the Panthers in March 2023. In 163 career starts, Dalton has an 83-78-2 record. He has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 38,511 yards and 246 touchdowns to go with 144 interceptions. Also Wednesday, coach Dave Canales said wide receiver Diontae Johnson has a mild groin strain and is considered day-to-day, and cornerback Dane Jackson was carted off the practice field with a hamstring injury. Both players joined the team in March, with Jackson a free-agent signing and Johnson acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson spent the past four seasons with Buffalo, which drafted him in the seventh round in 2020. Jackson, 27, started 28 of his 52 games with the Bills and contributed three interceptions, 28 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and 152 tackles. He recorded 39 tackles in 15 games (six starts) in 2023. Johnson, 28, started 67 of his 77 career games over five NFL seasons in Pittsburgh. In that time, he made 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson's best season came in 2021, when he racked up 107 catches, 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns and earned a Pro Bowl selection. The Steelers selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft. --Field Level Media