Robbie Anderson Will Have 'A Ton of Production' in Ben McAdoo's Offense
Robbie Anderson burst onto the scene during his first year with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 becoming a true No. 2 receiver in the offense for then quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Anderson hauled in 95 receptions for 1,096 yards and three touchdowns which led to him earning a two-year, $29.5 million contract extension last offseason.
For whatever reason, Anderson did not have the same impact on the field last year and it's hard to truly pinpoint what caused his receptions and receiving yards to be essentially cut in half.
According to head coach Matt Rhule, it was really a mixture of things. He didn't go into great detail but it's pretty easy to understand what some of those factors may have been. Sam Darnold had an awful year, Joe Brady struggled to find ways to get him the ball, and three different quarterbacks started for the Panthers throughout the course of the season.
So, what exactly should fans expect from Anderson in 2022? Will it be the version we saw in 2020, 2021, or a mixture of both?
"I think in this offense, Robbie will have a ton of production," Rhule said. "I think last year was a confluence of many different events. In this offense, I think the way we're doing things, I think he'll have a ton of production. Ben [McAdoo] had him when he was initially here in phase two playing different positions in the offense, but I think Ben does a good job moving guys around. So, kind of what Robbie did the first year here. He'd play in the slot, he played outside. I think we started playing him a little bit at 'X'. Robbie could have a ton of production at any of those spots."
The confidence may be there from Rhule but it's up to Robbie to get caught up to speed with the new playbook after skipping OTAs for a second straight year and having limited participation in mandatory minicamp. Rhule said that Anderson told the medical staff that his hip was bothering him which is why he did very little during the three-day camp.
"Every player has the playbook," said Rhule. "All of our players have a lot of work to do between now and training camp so they can compete at a high level. I think Robbie is right there in that mix. He's a talented player. He'll have to learn not just the plays but the nuances of the plays so that we can move him around and make him the weapon that he can be."
Robbie spent much of the four minutes that we got to spend with him last week answering questions about his retirement tweet, thoughts on Baker Mayfield, and if he was committed to playing with the Panthers in 2022. However, he did briefly talk about his struggles last year and what his mindset is heading into a new season.
"I don't look back. I just look at myself in the mirror and focus on what I can improve and control and keep it simple.
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