The Panthers have the day off, as they are one of the last two teams in the NFL with a bye this season (the Buccaneers are the other).
While a little rest and recuperation will no doubt help Carolina rebound from losing six of its last seven games, some players still wish they could be on the field. For example, wide receiver Robby Anderson tweeted this morning he wishes there was a game today.
Wish we had a game today no cap
— Robby Anderson (@chosen1ra) December 6, 2020
Anderson was the second potential free agent target we wrote about this past offseason. He seemed like an excellent fit for several reasons and we expected good things from No. 11 coming in. Anderson has blown away even those high expectations, though. After 12 games, Anderson has caught 75 passes, totaling 912 yards – the ninth most in the league. (D.J. Moore ranks seventh with 924).
The most impressive thing is how Anderson has done it. With the Jets, he was a potent vertical threat, but with the Panthers he’s done some of his best work in the short and intermediate parts of the field. 404 of his yards have come after the catch – already more than his last two seasons in New York. Anderson’s catch rate has also gotten a bump. In 2019, he caught just 54.2% of his passes. This year, it’s up to 73.5%.
Having a better offensive coordinator and a more accurate quarterback has helped. Anderson’s game has taken a legitimate leap forward, though.
There’s still another season left on his contract and the Panthers have to take care of guys like Curtis Samuel and Taylor Moton first. However, Anderson should be in line for an extension.
