Former NFL GM: Robby Anderson is Due a Big Pay Raise

Jets wide receiver is playing his way to a new contract

Robby Anderson made another statement on Sunday that he deserves to be with the New York Jets long-term, the wide receiver catching his team’s lone touchdown pass in a 16-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

It wasn’t necessarily a hugely productive day for Anderson, but his ability to track the ball and rise quickly through double coverage on the 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Darnold underscored his playmaking ability. His crisp route running, quick hands and ability to make plays is unique on this somewhat pedestrian Jets offense. 

And Anderson, on a one-year contract, is making a strong push for a long-term contract given his recent production. 

He has three touchdowns in his last five games. During that stretch, he has twice topped 100 receiving yards in a game. Sunday was his lowest output of the last five games, with two catches for 32 yards. But that touchdown catch proved to be the difference in the Jets winning, a point that shows he’s a true playmaker on this team. 

For Jeff Diamond, Anderson’s play the last month is making him a hot free agent if he hits the open market this offseason. A former general manager of the Minnesota Vikings and a team president of the Tennessee Titans, Diamond sees Anderson as creating a market given his play. 

“Anderson has come on in the last four weeks with 22 catches,” Diamond said of Anderson’s production coming into Week 16.  

“He suffered along with the other Jets receivers from Sam Darnold’s extended absence earlier this season. He is a quality receiver, not at the superstar level of Julio Jones and Michael Thomas - who are at $20 million plus per year on their extensions recently signed - but Anderson is worthy of a contract extension with the Jets or another team in free agency in the $10-13 million per year range and if there’s competitive bidding in free agency, he could command a bit bigger contract than those numbers.” 

Anderson’s contract has him slated to make $3.095 million in 2019. The money being talked about by Diamond would certainly represent a significant upgrade for Anderson, who has 49 catches for 761 yards and four touchdowns this year. He is the Jets leading receiver.