4 offseason decisions that severely cost the Carolina Panthers in 2022

Carolina Panthers didn’t trade Robbie Anderson

While one cannot prove that starting the season with Robbie Anderson on the roster hurt the Carolina Panthers, he was obviously a distraction. Whether it was making comments about Baker Mayfield or arguing with the wide receivers coach and getting sent to the locker room in Week 6 at the Los Angeles Rams, he helped very little in 2022.

The Panthers should have traded Anderson during the offseason. Especially after voicing his displeasure about Mayfield’s potential arrival.

It was an uneasy pairing from the start for two players who were both looking to rebound from rough seasons. If the Panthers were going to get their best return for Anderson, they should have traded the Temple product and allowed the likes of Terrace Marshall Jr. and Shi Smith to step into a starting role.

Anderson had one great season with the Panthers. But he regressed in 2023 and was unable to connect consistently with any of the quarterbacks Carolina deployed throughout the campaign.

Although the financial hit would’ve been significant, it was a mistake not to make the move sooner. The Panthers likely would have been able to get a far better return and saved some in-season drama for a team that simply needed Steve Wilks’ calm leadership to get them going in the right direction.