Early Market Value Set for Giants' WR Wan'Dale Robinson

While the NFL's 32 teams are all beginning their OTAs, it is never too early for the New York Giants to start looking toward the important roster transactions that await them in the following spring.

More than other recent free agent classes they've had, the Giants have a handful of key players slated to be available to test the open market in 2026, and many of them reside on the offensive side of the ball.

One of them that still stands out is the team's starting slot receiver, Wan'Dale Robinson, who is nearing the end of his rookie contract signed before he made his debut in 2022.

Robinson, the Giants' 43rd overall pick in that draft, joined the franchise to become their starting slot threat, a role he excelled in during his collegiate years at the University of Kentucky.

That mission started slow due to multiple injuries suffered in his rookie season, but the 24-year-old pass catcher has since rebounded to provide New York with one of their most reliable offensive pieces.

The 5-foot-8 receiver wasn't drafted in the first round, meaning he doesn't carry a fifth-year option for the club to buy into as they did with fellow 2022 draftee and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux.

If the Giants desire to retain him as they hope to boast an upgraded offense in the next few years, it's likely going to require them to pay him a prettier penny once he becomes an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

According to an early market value projection released by Spotrac, the average annual cost for Robinson's continued services could reach as high as $6.6 million per year based on a two-year agreement that would secure him a total of $13.2 million and make him the 40th highest paid position player.

Nov 3, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) is tackled by Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Based on how Robinson's professional career has improved with the Giants over the past three seasons, that market evaluation doesn't seem to be asking much of the team to acquiesce to their second-most productive receiver for most of that stretch.

After his injury-riddled rookie campaign, Robinson was available for at least 15 games over the next two seasons and added a speedy and shifty style of play to the Giants' passing attack.

He finished third on the offensive leaderboard with 60 catches for 525 yards and one touchdown in their 6-11 journey in 2023 and followed that up with a career-high 93 grabs on 140 targets for 699 yards (7.5 average) and three scores.

Outside of his teammate Malik Nabers, who carried the group with a historic 1,000+ yard effort as a novice, Robinson was one of a couple of secondary players who gave the Giants any sort of substantial receiving production.

He was the only other passing target to find the endzone at least three times and post six or more games with at least 50 yards to their name.

Not only would the aerial operation have been less effective in the basement of the league without his statistics, but the Giants' offense also wouldn't have been as damaging after the catch.

Robinson, who very rarely drops the pigskin when he has it in his hands, has increased his yardage after the snag to as high as 374 yards last season while forcing 20 missed tackles as he hops through the intermediate level of the opposing defense.

Most importantly, Robinson has arguably been the Giants' most clutch player when it comes to needing a timely passing play to salvage a drive and keep it moving towards the end zone, as evidenced by his 78 first downs accumulated and 36 in 2024, which ranked second in the position group behind only Nabers.

When looking at it more closely, the Giants would be getting their reliable slot starter back for a pretty team-friendly bargain if they succeeded at keeping him for that price. One of the most comparable players to Robinson's projected deal is his teammate Darius Slayton, who signed a similar deal during the 2023 offseason after his rookie contract expired.

Slayton received slightly less in that modified extension, about $6 million in annual value, which was widely influenced by potential incentives he had to achieve to unlock throughout the agreement.

Meanwhile, he had been the Giant's most consistent pass catcher before Nabers arrived, tallying over 700 yards receiving in his first six seasons in East Rutherford.

Robinson's potential contract would also surpass those handed to other relevant slot receivers, such as Kalif Raymond, Marquise Brown, and Curtis Samuel.

All of them were several years older than Robinson when they signed their deals and were outpaced by him in several key metrics recorded by Spotrac, including receiving targets per game, receptions per game, and yards after the catch per game.

As the upcoming season draws near, it’ll be interesting to see if Robinson can beat out his best production again to make this level of a deal more palatable.

The Giants' offense is poised to be a lot more explosive, with Russell Wilson as the new starting quarterback directing it. However, there still should be plenty of opportunities for the slot players to feast on the short throws and check-downs that Wilson has become very reliant on in his recent campaigns.

If he can elevate his game to another level, Robinson is a homegrown product among a rare group remaining within the Giants' locker room, and it's essential to retain those players who understand the culture and what it takes to help his team win within the margins.

It would come as a giant (no pun intended) surprise if Robinson were not still donning a blue jersey beyond this season after another efficient stat sheet that could be paired with a team-friendly price tag.

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