Henry Anderson‘s stint with the Jets has come to an end. The team announced this evening (via Twitter) that they’ve released the veteran defensive lineman.
The 2015 third-round pick out of Stanford spent the first three seasons of his professional career with the Colts, including a 2017 campaign where he started a then-career-high eight games (in nine appearances). Following that season, he was traded to New York for a future seventh-rounder that was originally owned by the Seahawks (a pick that eventually turned into linebacker Zaire Franklin).
Anderson had a breakout campaign during his first season in New York. Despite only starting three games, the defensive lineman compiled a career-high seven sacks in 16 games. That performance ultimately earned the player a lucrative three-year, $25MM extension from the organization.
Anderson took on more of a starting role in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, but he only averaged 16.5 tackles and fewer than one sack per game during those two campaigns. Thanks in part to the reduced production, it always seemed unlikely that Anderson would stick around for the entirety of his contract. ESPN’s Rich Cimini hinted back in December that Anderson could be on his way out of New York, noting that the Jets would save $8.2MM by making the move.
Nothing like a pic of Watson to get everyone’s attention. Well-played.
Anderson only averaged < 1 sack a game? He only got 1.5 total over two years!
I’m realizing you don’t have to be good every year, just in contract years
How much do the Jets save cutting him?
8m. almost enough to pay Mayne on the franchise tag. Easy move
Looks like a pats type of player
There was a time when Anderson looked just monstrous on the line, quick and strong and sometimes unstoppable. That was awhile ago. He’ll certainly get work, but after that first good year in New York, he definitely slowed a bit. I thought originally that the Colts made a mistake in trading him, but he had a couple of questionable incidents in New York and a drop in production. Hopefully he returns to form with his next team, at least to the same level that he had in his limited action with Indy his last year there.