The Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans hold the first and second selections, respectively, in the 88th NFL Draft on April 27. Each team is expected to use its pick on a quarterback.

Each team also moved to acquire a veteran quarterback this week, presumably to serve as a mentor and safety net when its prized rookie arrives.

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The quarterbacks expected to be chosen with the first two choices are Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young, according to a consensus of the betting lines at four leading sportsbooks.

Originally scheduled to pick ninth in the first round, Carolina acquired the No. 1 choice on Friday by sending two first-round and two second-round picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears.

Last season, the Panthers had three quarterbacks start at least five games. None is under contract with Carolina for the 2023 season.

But the Panthers will have a quarterback with NFL starting experience before they make their face-of-the-franchise selection on April 27 in Kansas City, Missouri.

On Tuesday, Carolina reached an agreement on a two-year, $10 million contract with 12-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowler Andy Dalton. He can sign with the Panthers after the NFL’s 2023 business year begins at 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday.

Dalton started his career with nine seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals’ starting QB. But he has had a new team annually since. After signing to back up Dak Prescott, Dalton started nine games in 2020 for the Dallas Cowboys. He opened the 2021 season under center for Chicago and started six games after the Bears used the 2021 draft’s 11th pick on Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. Last season, Dalton started 14 games for the New Orleans Saints after Jameis Winston got hurt.

After starting 11 games as a rookie in 2021, Davis Mills started 15 games at quarterback for the Texans in 2022, when he led NFL passers with 15 interceptions. No player who threw as many passes as Mills did in 2022 had a worse passer-efficiency rating than his 78.8 showing.

Mills has two more seasons on his rookie contract, but Houston could release him and leave only $578,946 of dead money on its 2023 salary-cap obligations and $289,473 on 2024.

On Monday, Houston reached an agreement on a two-year, $6.25 million contract with 11-year veteran Case Keenum. Keenum threw seven passes in 2022, when he backed up Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills.

Keenum’s NFL career started as an undrafted rookie on the Texans’ practice squad in 2012. The next season, Keenum started half of Houston’s games, one of the five times he’s started at least half of his team’s games. He’s started 64 games in his career.

Keenum’s best season came in 2017, when he took over for Sam Bradford in the second game and led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game.

Keenum has worked with first-round quarterbacks Jared Goff and Dwayne Haskins in their rookie seasons during his stops with seven NFL teams.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.