Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson is expected to hit the free agent market when the new NFL league year begins on March 18th. If he does, there should be quite a bit of interest for him. Anderson has caught 165 passes for 2472 yards in the last three seasons, recording 18 touchdowns.
These are most certainly respectable numbers for a player who has gone through change at quarterback and has been on a mostly unsuccessful team. If Robby could land in the right spot, he could potentially become a star wide receiver in this league, and there seem to be quite a few teams interested.
Honorable Mentions:
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona has to face reality that Larry Fitzgerald will not be around forever, and there are many unknowns in the receiving corps outside of him. No Cardinals wide receiver outside of Fitzgerald ran more than 250 routes nor recorded a receiving grade higher than 65.0 in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus.
In other words, the Cardinals receiving core has been very bad. They’ll have the money to spend, but they have many needs ahead of receiver, such as linebackers, secondary, and offensive line, making them an honorable mention. They also have young guys in Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella who haven’t proven much, but have the potential to be the type of player that Robby Anderson is.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills want to bring as much help as possible for their young quarterback. Josh Allen is continuing to develop and with that cannon of an arm, so Robby Anderson would certainly be a nice weapon for him. They also need someone to complement Cole Beasley and John Brown, as they’re continuing to grow older. Both receivers also lack size and the ability to stretch the field.
Anderson certainly sounds like a sound option here, but the Bills need a guy who is big, physical, and can make contested catches. That’s not necessarily Robby’s biggest area of strength. That reason is why he only lands on honorable mentions for the Bills.
Cincinnati Bengals
Out of all these teams, the Bengals are the least likely to land Robby, but considering the consensus assumption that the Bengals will select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow #1 overall, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them get Burrow a nice weapon in free agency to make the idea of going to Cincinnati not seem horrible.
The only problem with the Bengals is they have greater needs than wide receiver, and the team already has a guy who can stretch the field in John Ross to go along with Tyler Boyd, and they could possibly re-sign AJ Green, making the idea of Anderson going there unlikely.
#5: Indianapolis Colts
Indy struggled this past season. They had below average receiver play, below average quarterback play, and a lacking offense overall. Their star receiver, TY Hilton, couldn’t catch a break and was consistently in and out of the lineup.
As they seem to be looking for a new quarterback, a new receiver would be nice for them to pair him along with. That receiver could most certainly be Robby Anderson. They need an impact player there and as we’ve addressed multiple times in this article, Robby Anderson is an impact player.
The Colts don’t have too many needs on the offensive side, aside from quarterback and wide receiver, which certainly makes me consider the idea of adding Anderson. He’d be a good fit, he’s a healthier option than other FA guys, and could be there when TY isn’t. Overall, his role is a perfect complement to Hilton’s role.
Anderson could certainly end up here, but I just don’t think Indy will be as interested as other teams. They have the players and the coaching, but haven’t been able to stay healthy, while other teams genuinely need a guy like him.
#4: Las Vegas Raiders
Everyone knows about the whole Antonio Brown saga, and after this fiasco, Tyrell Williams was forced into the #1 receiver spot for the Raiders last season. He played well, but outside of him, there wasn’t great performance from the receiving core.
Derek Carr could use an extra weapon or two, and Anderson would be a great fit. The Raiders are not afraid to pay a lot of money at the receiver position as shown by their deals last year, but is he worth it to them?
Las Vegas has quite a few needs, but Robby would be a big impact player from Day 1. The Raiders had a decent season this past year, and with the addition of the former Jets product, they could likely make the playoffs. He’s a nice fit for the team and I’m sure LV fans would love this young speedster in black and silver.
Of course, this team has other needs, already with young receiving threats in Darren Waller and Tyrell Williams. They also spent a lot at receiver last year and it didn’t go the way they expected which may cause them to think twice before paying the bag to the position again.
#3: New York Jets
Gang Green is the only team Anderson has known in his NFL career, and he has excelled there. Although they seem to have trouble coming to an agreement on his worth, I’d expect the Jets to eventually realize how valuable he’s been for their team. Young QB Sam Darnold also seems to be a fan, and if they want to make their quarterback happy, they should probably not let Anderson go.
The team fit isn’t questionable, as the veteran receiver has been on the team for 4 seasons and played well. He has been arguably their best player on offense for years, although that doesn’t say much.
The only thing that makes me question him returning is the contract expectations from each side. It sounds like they may not come to an agreement, disagreeing on the price.
#2: New England Patriots
The Patriots are following their first somewhat-disappointing season in a long time. There are questions about whether Tom Brady will stay and about this roster as a whole, as the window for this team may be closing. If they want to make one more run, a playmaker like Anderson would likely keep Brady there and provide a spark for that offense. They need to stretch the field and not many receiving corps performed worse than these Patriots last season.
With Tom Brady, Anderson would get to play with by far the best quarterback he’s played with in his career, and could likely have a very successful season alongside the future Hall-of-Famer. With excellent coaching and quarterback play, Anderson would probably have the best season he’s had yet in his career. New England needs a guy like this, and Anderson makes a lot of sense.
The Patriots are certainly likely to go after him, but I’m not sure they’ll be willing to pay the type of money that he wants for them to be the most likely candidate for him.
#1: Philadelphia Eagles
If you look at the Eagles’ team needs, there’s not a more pressing concern than a receiver who can stretch the field and consistently make plays while staying healthy. Although the team has DeSean Jackson, he only played a full game once in 2019, which is quite horrendous.
Slot receiver Nelson Agholor will also be a free agent, and there are questions surrounding Alshon Jeffery’s role on the team and whether Philly is willing to keep him. Overall, there are questions about this position for the Eagles, and Anderson could possibly provide answers to a lot of those questions.
As far as the team fit, he would most likely fit right in and fill the void that the Eagles have lacked whenever D-Jax isn’t on the field. With a weapon like Anderson, Carson Wentz’s potential would be maximized and an amazing season could be underway for him.
With how many factors come with signing Anderson, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up going to Philly. However, anything can happen in the NFL and with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, nothing surprises me. If I were to claim a team most likely to land Robby Anderson, I’d say the Philadelphia Eagles. They seem like the most logical, most fitting, most capable team of getting him and having enough cap space to do so.
