Gase is raving about Robby
Adam Gase’s exhaustive review of his new roster included one pleasant surprise that could help the Jets moving forward: Robby Anderson.
For all the talk about the need for personnel upgrades for a team that has won a grand total of 14 games in the past three seasons, the new Jets head coach has been careful not to discard potentially valuable inhouse pieces to the puzzle.
When asked which player has surprised him the most in his film study since taking over in January, Gase didn’t hesitate to point out that Anderson jumped off the tape.
“I don’t think I knew as much about Robby,” Gase said at the NFL Combine. “After watching him, I was very impressed with his speed. It’s unique. You don’t see a whole bunch of guys who have what he has. The way he tracks the ball down the field, I don’t think I’ve ever been around a player that does it as smooth. He is so smooth that when he sticks his hand out at the speed he’s running ... You see him just pluck the ball and just keep on going.”
Anderson’s connection with Sam Darnold was apparent over the final month of the season. The duo linked up for 312 yards and three touchdowns in Darnold’s first three games back from a month-long hiatus with a foot injury.
Anderson racked up three consecutive games of at least 75 yards and a touchdown from Weeks 14-16 after having a total of three scores and only one 75plus yard game in the first 13 weeks.
The speedy wideout had a breakout 2017 campaign with team highs in targets (114), receiving yards (941) and touchdowns (7) before a slow start last season.
The Jets will place a one-year, second-round restricted free agent tender on Anderson for a little more than $3 million with the hope that he can stay on the straight and narrow path off the field and deliver on it in 2019 before trying to lock him up to a long-term deal.
Teams can sign Anderson to a restricted free-agent offer sheet if they’re willing to surrender a second-round pick to the Jets, but that’s not likely to happen.
The Jets, frankly, want Anderson to thrive so they can make him a part of their future. The Daily News reported last season that Gang Green turned down a fourth-round pick from the Eagles for Anderson before the trade deadline.
"To be honest, I think it shows that teams throughout the league see my talent and see what I bring to the table and see what I’m capable of,” Anderson told the Daily News at the time. “But I want to be a Jet. Clearly, they feel the same way, because they didn’t get rid of me. So, I want to be here for the long run. And I want to be the best I can be. I want to feel appreciated and just be understood. I just want to be a great football player.”
Gase made it clear at the Combine that he would like the 25-year-old Anderson, who had 50 catches for 752 yards and six TDs last season, to add to his repertoire to better threaten opponents.