4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat after 2021 NFL Draft picks

Robby Anderson – Carolina Panthers WR

This might seem like a strange person to put on this list for some. But Robby Anderson has more pressure on his shoulders than most heading into the 2021 season.

The wide receiver enjoyed a new lease of life with the Carolina Panthers during his first campaign with the franchise after opting to reunite with his former college coach Matt Rhule in free agency. This resulted in the player going over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career, forming a prolific partnership with D.J. Moore in the process.

However, the arrivals of Terrace Marshall Jr. and Shi Smith via the 2021 NFL Draft means the heat is on the Temple product. Anderson is heading into the final year of his fully guaranteed $20 million deal he signed last year and if he demonstrates regression next season, then the Panthers might decide that giving him megabucks when Moore also needs paying is a risk they aren’t willing to take.

Much will depend on how Marshall and Smith adjust to a professional environment, although there is a lot of potential in both to hit the ground running.

Anderson will have a lot more attention coming his way next time around – which saw his numbers steadily decrease during the second half of 2020. So a big campaign is needed to get the sort of money he’s no doubt after before he hits the free-agent market in 2022.