HOUSTON — Veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton will have tests on Sunday back in Charlotte, but those who observed him on the sideline after he was pulled from a preseason game with a right elbow injury said he seemed to be in good spirits.

Dalton was pulled after six plays and one series and replaced for the rest of the game by Jack Plummer.

He was checked by medical staff on the sidelines and put on a protective sleeve, but did not go back in the game.

"Looks like an elbow sprain," Panthers head coach Dave Canales said after the 20-3 loss to the Texans Saturday. "We'll image it tomorrow, so I don't really have the details of all that. He was moving it around fine.

"He said he feels fine, but we've got to take a look and see what happens there."

Dalton didn't talk to reporters after the game.

Veteran long snapper JJ Jansen said that he saw Dalton get hit as he threw, but didn't sense anything terribly different about the 37-year-old.

"It sounded like everyone was just treating him with the utmost of precaution," Jansen said. "He was certainly acting himself on the sideline, helping with Jack, talking with the guys, connecting with the teammates. But when it's the elbow and the throwing arm of a quarterback, much like pitchers in baseball, you always exercise some caution, especially in the preseason.

"But when he came out of the game, I just sort of assumed that it was Jack's turn, like, there wasn't any sort of chaos or worry on the sideline."

Starter Bryce Young said he wasn't aware of any medical updates, but he also said he gathered that Dalton would be OK based on his sideline demeanor.

"He was Andy on the sideline," Young said. "Always locked in, always talking with us and Jack and being involved. Obviously, I'm not on medical staff, I don't know anything about that, but he's himself. He's always going to say he's good and then have that positive energy and everything going around.

"So obviously I pray it's nothing serious."