Paul Schwartz of the New York Post hinted that the New York Giants free agency binge was still $25 million away from being over even after the huge contracts the team doled out to Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison, and Olivier Vernon on day 1 of NFL free agency.
There was a lot of speculation around who the Giants would target on day 2. Asbury Park Press thought the G-Men might go after a safety, while Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News suspected middle linebacker, wide receiver, and offensive line could be on the wish list.
New Jersey native Mohamed Sanu seemed like a lock, but he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Then, this morning Washington Redskins free agent Keenan Robinson became a popular rumor. Two days ago, Aaron Lesher of Hogs Haven reported Robinson wouldn’t be returning to the ‘Skins. At around 6pm on Thursday, Robinson’s signing became a reality as Mike Garafolo confirmed the deal.
LB Keenan Robinson to the Giants. Done deal.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 10, 2016
Keenan was ranked as the 16th best free agent inside linebacker by WalterFootball.com. The move definitely raises eyebrows among Giants faithful and analysts. James Laurianaitis was available as was Jerrell Freeman, Bruce Carter, Demario Davis, Zach Brown, and Craig Robertson.
Pro Football Focus advised Washington to let Robinson walk, stating:
"“Robinson finished as our 72nd overall linebacker, with a run defense grade of 20.1 (1–100 scale). He missed almost a quarter of his tackles (15-of-70), including nine in a four-game stretch, and consistently struggled to shed blocks. “"
That comes after a fairly impressive 2014 season in which PFF stated Keenan was “on the rise“. That performance didn’t continue in 2015 as Brian Vesnaver of PFF listed Robinson and his linebacking mate Perry Riley as the worst at their positions through November 11th.
Robinson has only started 21 games in his three-year career and is turning 27 years old in July. Hopefully, the Giants will see Keenan, a former 4th round draft pick in 2012 who stands at 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs in at 240 pounds, return to his 2014 form when he had 104 combined tackles and an approximate value of 7, according to Pro Football Reference. Initially, this appears to be the worst of Jerry Reese’s signings so far, however, it won’t cost much as Rand Getlin reports it’s a one-year deal worth $3.5 million.