Carolina Panthers pass catcher Robby Anderson knows newly acquired quarterback Sam Darnold very well. They spent two seasons together with the New York Jets. Anderson sees Darnold in a different light now that they are teammates again in Carolina.
“I saw like a new energy out of him, a glowing charisma that I didn’t really see in New York,” Anderson said, via the Associated Press. “You know when a person, you can see a glow in them, their energy, an aura — I can see that when I walked into the building and just being around him.”
Anderson had plenty of receptions from Darnold as a down-the-field threat in 2018 and 2019 before moving on to the Panthers in 2020. Under the tutelage of coach Matt Rhule, Anderson was able to be used in a plethora of ways, not just as a deep threat. He had his first 1,000-yard season of his career with the Panthers.
Anderson did not attend voluntary OTAs, so this week was the first opportunity for him to see Darnold in action. From his observations, Anderson thinks Rhule’s offense will help Darnold become a better quarterback.
“The New York system was a little more complex and had a lot of nuances and things like that that was more difficult for everybody, not just him or me,” Anderson said. “I think this system is a little more graspable.”
The Panthers showed belief in Darnold by picking up his fifth-year option in 2022 instead of drafting a rookie quarterback. After seeing pressure that wasn’t there in New York, Darnold will most likely have a new mindset and get better under his new coach and teammates in Carolina.
