Jerry Richardson said he was going to break the bank this offseason and make a lot of moves. Many of them have been exemplary, especially the ability to surround Cam Newton with new players like Greg Olson while keeping key offensive performers like DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith in house. But one move that’s certainly an indicator that Carolina is still Carolina is the latest move to round out the quarterbacks on the roster.
Signing Derek Anderson is simply the last thing any team in the NFL should be doing this offseason. The former Arizona QB had a 65.9 rating last season to go with 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and that turned out to be his third best rating in five seasons. In 2009, Anderson had a 42.1 rating. Yes, he’s that bad.
Somehow Anderson earned some kudos during a lucky streak in Cleveland four seasons ago, and the former Oregon State product has coasted on reputation since then. The reality is that he’s a poor decision maker who lacks the accuracy or instincts to successfully pilot a program. While the Panthers already have their No. 1 guy in Cam Newton and fellow rookie Jimmy Clausen also in-house, the reality is that both are incredibly unproven and lack any real security themselves. The Panthers No. 3 quarterback actually is a position with a decent chance of seeing the field in 2011 — and that’s a position Derek Anderson has no business being near.