Robby Anderson "Isn't All Speed" Joe Brady Says
When the Carolina Panthers entered free agency, very few around the league expected them to make a free agent splash as they did with former New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson. The two sides agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal that will keep him in Charlotte through the 2021 season.
The Panthers didn't lack talent at the receiver position, but they did however, lack depth. Keith Kirkwood, Seth Roberts, and Pharoh Cooper were signed for those very reasons. Anderson was brought to Carolina to take the top off of defenses and put this group of receivers over the top.
The NFC South has quickly transitioned to the NFL's version of the Big 12 Conference with several dynamic playmakers at the skill positions and elite quarterbacks. To win games in this division, you're going to need to score a lot of points and by adding Anderson to the mix, it certainly helps boost the offense's ability to hit for explosive plays.
Contrary to popular belief, Anderson isn't just your typical home run, downfield threat. This week, Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady talked about how Anderson is an all-around receiver and how he's going to make an impact in the team's offense.
"I'm from South Florida, so I know the type of football player Robby Anderson has been for a long time," Brady said. "The first thing Robby obviously brings is he brings a dynamic ability with speed. But he's not just a speed wide receiver, Robby has incredible hands and he's able to make big plays on the ball, go up for the football, he's dynamic with the ball in his hands."
If Anderson lives up to the billing, now all of a sudden you could be talking about the Panthers having potentially the best wide receivers group not only in the division, but the NFC. No, the Panthers don't have a Julio Jones, or Micheal Thomas, or Mike Evans on the roster, but the trio of Anderson, D.J. Moore, and Curtis Samuel has them in the conversation.
Playing in New York, Anderson was in the role of being the team's go-to target. As good of a player as he is, I don't think he fits into that role. His production should be much improved by playing off of someone like D.J. Moore, who will draw attention. Last year, he hauled in 52 receptions for 779 yards and five touchdowns. The one thing you know you're going to get from Anderson is consistency. Through the first four years of his NFL career, he has consistently put up those types of numbers.
Will his numbers improve with a veteran quarterback and potentially a better fit schematically? I wouldn't bet on it. Again, when you have D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey all getting involved in some fashion, touches will be spread out. He should be a perfect fit in Brady's offense and if his numbers don't fluctuate much, that doesn't mean he wasn't worth the money. He's here to take the Panthers offense to the next level and posting similar numbers alongside Moore and Samuel should do the trick.
What kind of season do you see Robby Anderson having? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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