Derek Anderson has been the consummate professional since arriving in Carolina to be Cam Newton's backup, and that relationship will continue. On Wednesday he was rewarded with a 2-year contract extension that will keep him with the Panthers through the 2017 season.
Anderson has been an excellent backup for the Panthers and consistently able to keep the ship afloat when Newton has missed games due to injury. Anderson is a player who has found his role in the NFL, and that's simply being the best backup in the league.
Other fanbases might scoff at that lofty praise, but the numbers speak for themselves. Anderson has thrown for 759 yards over the last four season, and posted a quarterback rating of 106.8 over the time. He's been so good at filling in where needed that a segment of the fanbase misguidedly thinks he should start. Simply put: Anderson has been that good.
Most importantly: He has a rapport with Cam. The two of them are always on the sideline looking over photos, watching film and processing the game together. That kind of player is invaluable, and it's great to have DA in Carolina for another two years.