Patriots Named Best Fit For 1,000 Yard WR

The New England Patriots have a major decision when it comes to how they want to address the wide receiver in free agency. Will Stefon Diggs remain on the roster, or will his hefty cap hit force their hand to release him? Does AJ Brown get traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Patriots? Will they just sign a street free agent?

According to Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame, the last option could be the route they go. In a recent list of the top 50 free agents, it was listed that New England could be a potentially landing spot for New York Giants wideout Wan'Dale Robinson -- who's set to hit free agency for the first time in his NFL career.

"Robinson enjoyed a breakout year, giving rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart a reliable target on the outside," Verderame wrote. "With Malik Nabers out for most of the season with a torn ACL, Robinson stepped up, catching 92 passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. Coming off his rookie deal, Robinson should get a sizable deal."

What Would A Robinson Contract Look Like?

The Giants were also listed as a best fit, as the team would likely want to retain one of their best players from another bad season in 2025. Robinson's projected to receive a three-year deal worth $54 million on the open market.

Robinson's ability to get open and get jump balls makes him a valuable addition for any team that wants him. Since being drafted out of Kentucky in 2022 in the second round, he's been a productive player when he's healthy. He lost his rookie year to an ACL tear in Week 11, playing in just six games.

In the seasons that followed, he's only gotten better. Robinson has been targeted 266 times over the past two years, and became the shortest player (5-foot-8) to record a 1,000-yard season (which he did this past season.

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) runs with the ball after a catch in the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Patriots' wide receiver room is all under contract, making the decision to add (or subtract) a major storyline in New England. At the top of the depth chart this past season, Diggs became the team's 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019 and instantly connected with Drake Maye in the passing game. But off-the-field issues and $6 million fully guaranteed at the start of the new league year make his situation interesting.

Patriots Executive Eliot Wolf's WR Comments

"Obviously, having more playmakers is a good thing. So, we are looking at at the wide receiver position to try to improve depth and at the top as well," Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf told reporters at the NFL Combine.

"But also, when you run your offense and you have one of these No. 1 receivers, the quarterback can get in trouble by trying to force the ball to that person," Wolf continued. "I know the way Josh (McDaniels) has built the offense out, you’re supposed to throw the ball to the open guy, and that’s what we were able to do this year. Obviously, there’s a hierarchy of players who play the most snaps on third down, things like that, but basically like the more playmakers we have, the better we’re going to be."

Behind Diggs are Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism -- who all scored touchdowns in 2025. All of them are under contract for at least one more season, meaning the position is truly not as dire of a need that some may expect. Yet, if Diggs moves on, the need for a consistent pass catcher becomes that much larger.

The Patriots currently have around $40 million in cap space to spend, and adding Robinson to an already-explosive passing attack can do no harm for New England's hopes of repeating as conference champions.

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