After Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was fired last Monday, replaced by interim head coach Steve Wilks, rumors started hot and heavy regarding a franchise fire sale that could involve all kinds of players — defensive tackle Derrick Brown, edge-rusher Brian Burns, running back Christian McCaffrey, and receiver Robbie Anderson — being on the trading block before the November 1 trade deadline. It is unknown how Brown, Burns, and McCaffrey have reacted to this news, but we have a pretty good idea that Anderson isn’t happy with the ways in which things are going on with his team.
During Sunday’s Rams-Panthers game, Anderson was seen arguing with multiple coaches, and eventually, Wilks booted him off the field, and out of the game. Anderson hadn’t had a target in the game, and he got in the face of receivers coach Joe Dailey at one point.
The Panthers are going to have to cut Robbie Anderson. pic.twitter.com/vQqu5SWt80
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 16, 2022
The common thought is that Anderson is trying to get off the team, but that’s not a great look. It may be more that Rhule was Anderson’s head coach at Temple (as pointed out by our own Barry Werner), and he’s got a schism about how that’s all worked out.
Robbie Anderson on the firing of Matt Rhule. pic.twitter.com/7iFiJQWCMb
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) October 13, 2022
The problem with cutting Anderson is his contract — a two-year, $20 million extension — and that the Panthers would have to eat the prorated part of the $9,719,166 dead cap if they did so.
Then again, if Wilks is trying to erase the most toxic parts of the culture Rhule left behind…
