Is Trading for Robby Anderson the Answer to the Patriots’ Need at Wide Receiver?
With the official start of the 2022 NFL season just days away, the equivalent of the league’s ‘hot stove’ rumor mill is churning in full effect. In addition to various free agent rumors, trades are also the hot topic of conversation. Recently, the New England Patriots have found themselves front and center with regard to some potential high profile acquisitions, especially at the wide receiver position.
It is clear that the Patriots are in need of help at wide receiver. While recent rumors have connected them to players such as Atlanta’s Calvin Ridley, Arizona’s Andy Isabella and Dallas’ Amari Cooper, a former AFC East-rival may be in the mix to play his football in Foxboro during the 2022 season.
Apparently, New England has recently explored a trade for Carolina Panthers receiver Robby Anderson, as reported by Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard on Saturday morning. Citing NFL sources. Bedard indicated that the Patriots are actively searching for potential fits at wideout, which includes the former New York Jet.
Per Bedard’s most recent column:
The Patriots seem much more likely to get an impact receiver via trade, and have targeted a familiar player, according to league sources. If the Patriots land this receiver, or if this is representative of the type they would like to add, it would also seem to put the future of Nelson Agholor in doubt.
The Patriots have at least shown some interest in trading for Panthers receiver Robby Anderson, the former Jet who impressed against the Patriots on film despite not much production (nine games, 49 targets, 17 receptions, 181 yards, 0 TDs).
Other possible trade targets, including Calvin Ridley, are not known at this time. It would not surprise if the Patriots are targeting multiple X boundary receivers via trade and will ultimately settle on the best deal and money.
For those clamoring for a bona fide ‘WR1’ on the depth chart, the news of Anderson’s potential acquisition may not be met with the same enthusiasm as potential news of the same kind regarding players such as Ridley or Cooper. However, it should be noted that the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick are well aware of Anderson’s capabilities. As Bedard noted above, the veteran wideout did not illuminate the stat sheet with gaudy numbers in his matchups against the Patriots. However, his aptness to play through the Pats’ man coverage schemes were enough to impress Belichick — to the point where the Patriots considered adding the product of Temple University as a free agent in 2020.
Anderson spoke about this in November 2021, prior to the Patriots Week Eight matchup with the Panthers:
“When I played them, from what I can remember, [Belichick] usually would put man coverage — a safety over the top and scheme me, do things like that…Kind of take me out of the picture. He even told me that, too. Last year when I was in free agency, he tried to get me to sign. He was like, ‘I’m tired of scheming against you. I’m tired of going against you.’”
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Jets, Anderson opted to sign with the Panthers in 2020. During that season, he emerged as one of the NFC’s most productive receivers, catching 95 passes for 1,096 yards and three touchdowns. However, uncertainty and inconsistency at quarterback led to a notable statistical dip, as Anderson would finish 2021 with 53 catches for 519 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite his versatility allowing him to play out of the slot, Bedard noted that New England’s interest in Anderson would be to deploy him as a vertical threat. As a result, Pats’ wideout Nelson Agholor [who signed with New England as a free agent prior to the 2021 season] is likely to become expendable.
Following a career year with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, Agholor got off to a hot start with the Pats in 2021. In Week One against the Miami Dolphins, the 28-year-old compiled 72 yards receiving, with one touchdown. Incidentally, he will hold the distinction of hauling in quarterback Mac Jones’ first touchdown pass in a Patriots uniform. However, Agholor’s production slowed as the season progressed. He finished the season as fourth on the list of most targeted Patriots’ pass catchers, while being fifth on the team in receptions. In his first season with the team, he caught 37 passes for 473 yards and three touchdowns.
Throughout the season, New England often struggled to dial up looks in which Jones took shots deep down field. This reduced some of Agholor’s chances to showcase his speed and ability to get open over the top. While some credit should be given to some of the aggressive defenses of their oppositions, Jones and Agholor never seemed to develop the synergy required for such a connection. Ideally, this is where Agholor was to be most effective.
Negligible Difference?
While the two players are not interchangeable, it is logical to question whether swapping Agholor for Anderson would be enough to provide the Patriots wide receivers corps with the change it needs to upgrade their productivity in 2022.
After putting up impressive numbers in 2020, each struggled to recapture their form in 2021. Anderson’s struggles were more closely linked to his environment in Carolina than that of Agholor in New England. However, it is only fair to mention that Agholor was not the same player during the Patriots’ stretch run, resulting from a concussion he suffered during the team’s Week Fifteen loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Though a change of scenery may benefit both, it may not be enough to move the needle for New England’s production at the receiver position.
Anderson and Agholor are also similar in skill set. While each has the ability to play out of the slot, they are at their best when used on vertical outside routes. Having played against New England twice per year for the majority of his career, Anderson might have the slight edge in deciphering the Patriots timing-based passing game, predicated on vertical routes and completions from quick, accurate throws. Still, it may be argued that Agholor may benefit from having one year under his belt in New England’s system. Therefore, his familiarity with Jones could work to his advantage.
Ultimately, as with most matters of business, the decision will be a financial one. Anderson has two years and nearly $19 million remaining on his current $29.5 million contract, which was extended after last season. If traded, his cap hits for his new team would be $13 million in 2022 and $12 million in 2023. $8 million of his 2022 salary is fully guaranteed, according to Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan.
As for Agholor, his dead money would amount to $10 million, if cut, $5 million of traded. According to Benzan, the $5 million difference results from his $5 million in fully-guaranteed salary. If Agholor is moved via trade, the responsibility to pay said amount would go to his new team. As such, the Patriots would save approximately $4.9 million against the cap if they were to trade Agholor.
With the financials in place, New England would also have to find a willing partner for Agholor’s services. Bedard intimated that Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders might be a potential fit, due to his history with the team, as well as Ahgolor’s previous success with Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. However, Las Vegas’ interest is only speculative at this time.
In the final analysis, while acquiring Anderson would certainly not weaken the Pats receiving corps, the swap of he and Agholor [figuratively, of course] may be too much of a like-for-like to significantly improve the Pats offensive output. Should New England acquire Anderson, New England will still be left with the need to fill the role of a pass catcher capable of making catches over the middle, while extending drives on third down. Of course, trading for Anderson would not preclude them from doing so. The 2022 NFL Draft class is deep with players who fit this description, as is the crop of free agent wideouts ready to hit the open market in short order.
With time ticking away until the start of the legal tampering period on March 14, business is about to pick up in Foxboro.
