Robby Anderson will likely be the best available wide receiver in free agency. He is the same wide out that had 86 yards and a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in New Jersey last season.
There is no question that the Raiders need help at wide receiver. Last season’s haul, which included Antonio Brown, Tyrell Williams, Ryan Grant, J.J. Nelson, Hunter Renfrow, and Keelan Doss, didn’t make a massive impact. The only player on that list who seriously contributed was the rookie slot receiver, who missed several games with injuries.
Anderson’s played his way out of New York’s price range, and will likely have many suitors. The Raiders have the cap to make a big splash and sign Anderson, but I just don’t think they should.
Wouldn’t Be A Wise Investment And Here’s Why
The Draft
This is an exceptionally strong receiver class. Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb are the headliners, but they aren’t alone. Tee Higgins, Henry Ruggs III, Jalen Reagor, and Laviska Shenault Jr. are also popular prospects. The Raiders have five picks in the first three rounds, and with general manager Mike Mayock calling the shots, there’s no reason to think they can’t nab a difference maker or two to join Williams and Renfrow.
Raiders Spider-Man Meme
I’m going to give you two statlines, and I want you to tell me who is who. One of the following receivers is Anderson, and the other is already on the Raiders roster. This is just since 2016, when Anderson entered the league.
WR1, a 6’4. 200 pound burner- 195 catches, 3,091 yards, 22 touchdowns in 62 games.
WR2, a 6’3, 190 pound burner- 207 catches, 3,059 yards, 20 touchdowns in 62 games.
As you can see, the two are almost identical. They have a similar build, strengths, and production. If you’re well-versed in Las Vegas’ roster, you already know the other wide out is Tyrell Williams, whom the Raiders signed to a four-year, $44 million contract last spring, and after battling injuries in 2019, ended up with 42 catches for 651 yards and six touchdowns.
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While the Silver and Black had bigger problems than inconsistent receiver play, Williams didn’t exactly live up to his contract and signing his Jets counterpart, who has never had a 1,000 yards season, doesn’t seem like the answer.
Anderson and Williams, who are both tall and lanky burners, play like twins. Regrettably, that’s where the similarities end. While Williams is a quiet, hard-working man, Anderson’s biggest red flag has nothing to do with his on the field performance.
Off The Field
It might be too soon for Raider Nation to hear this, but money doesn’t make a man better, and it’s not always the other team’s fault. We spent the majority of last summer pleading with Antonio Brown to just show up and play football, and ultimately, he took about as many snaps with the team as I have.
Asking a tiger to change his stripes hasn’t worked recently for the Raiders in other areas. Just look at Vontaze Burfict, who lost the rest of the season because of a shady tackle. Anderson hasn’t been suspended yet, despite his arrests, but he’s also never played for the Raiders, which we all know makes a difference, and make no mistake, he has had some trouble with law enforcement.
Most notably, Anderson was arrested last January for doing 105 in a 45, running multiple red lights, resisting an officer, obstruction, and harm to a public servant. After he was finally arrested, he threatened to sexually assault the officer’s wife, which makes Odell Beckham Jr.’s playful slap seem harmless in comparison. This was the wide receiver’s second detention. A year earlier, he was arrested with a felony charge of resisting arrest and obstruction after an altercation at a concert.
The Bottom Line
Do I think the Raiders should dish out over $15 million to a guy who hasn’t produced at all, let alone consistently, with a track-record for legal issues? No. I don’t think it helps to have two of the same receiver either, especially when the Raiders will have multiple opportunities to draft a playmaker in this year’s draft. Robby Anderson is good, but not good enough to warrant a massive paycheck.
Instead, the Raiders should spend that money where it’s sorely needed, on defense. This team has been sorely lacking a star linebacker for decades, and the squad needs a ton of help in the secondary. I’d be far more interested in trading for a player like Stefon Diggs or even the aging A.J. Green, who won’t ask for as much money, or as much of a headache.
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