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Is this another example of perhaps why it was best to move on?
Joe Douglas took some heat for letting WR Robbie Anderson walk in free agency.
On March 24, Anderson signed a two-year deal for $20 million with the Carolina Panthers with $12 million guaranteed, so it’s essentially a one-year deal for $12 million.
But in defense of Douglas, he wasn’t the only one with limited interest in breaking the bank on Anderson in free agency. It wasn’t a bull market. There wasn’t a ton of interest in the player, especially at his asking price.
Also, Anderson’s track record perhaps scared off some teams.
He was arrested twice while with Jets, and also failed out of Temple, forcing him to go to a Florida JUCO to get his grades back up, in order rejoin the Owls.
He also had some on-field issues that bothered some, including tossing his helmet after not getting a pass at the end of a Miami game in 2017, and also pleaded for Pro Bowl votes on camera during a loss to the Panthers, also in 2017.
So maybe Anderson isn’t for everyone. It was his one-time college coach at Temple, Matt Rhule, now coaching Carolina, who finally threw him a lifeline in free agency,
There were a couple more reminders on Twitter this weekend of why Anderson’s attitude could rub some teams the wrong way.
He decided to attack the Jets on Twitter this weekend. Remember, we are in early July now, three months removed from Anderson signing with the Panthers.
Some might think it’s time for Anderson to move on and focus on his new team, but clearly he’s not of that opinion.
Somebody from Pro Football Focus shared a video package of plays where quarterbacks missed an open Anderson. He re-tweeted these clips with annoyed-face emoji.
A lot of these throws were by Sam Darnold. Why do that to him, Robby?
Anderson also took a shot at the Jets on Twitter: “When u #undrafted a team ain’t taking a chance on you drafting you is taking a chance… They have no risk. No expectations for me to become a four year starter and an impact player #undrafted. And paid me bottom dollar they won that situation #educateyourself.”
But didn’t they take a chance when they also kept him around twice after his two arrests? And according to a league source, the team’s security department jumped through hoops to get charges reduced after his second arrest, including the most serious charge, of threatening to sexually assault a police officer’s wife.
In other words, he’s really not a victim here. The team bent over backwards to help him get through his off-the-field issues, and that was probably worthy of a home-town discount.
Let’s just say this about the video that PFF posted. There is no question Darnold missed him a few times when he was open. And the one thing noticeable on the video-clip compilation, was an issue that the QB needs to work on – throwing late to open targets. The elite quarterbacks throw with anticipation. Darnold tends to wait for a guy to clearly flash open, and then fire a rocket, and it’s hard to do this, especially on deep balls.
So you can understand Anderson’s frustration on some of these plays.
But why go after Darnold and the Jets in early July?
Isn’t it time to turn the page and strictly have “Carolina on his mind.”
July 6, 2020
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