The New York Giants aren’t exactly in a spot where they can afford to intentionally lose any more offensive talent. Sitting at 2-9 with star receiver Malik Nabers out for the year and rookie running back Cam Skattebo joining him, the offense has leaned heavily on Wan’Dale Robinson to keep things afloat. And to his credit, he’s delivered.
The fourth-year wideout has put together the best stretch of his career at a time when the team needed someone — literally anyone — to step up.
Unfortunately, Robinson’s breakout couldn’t have come at a more complicated time. The 24-year-old is a pending free agent, and the early numbers around his next deal aren’t exactly cheap. Spotrac projects his market value at four years, $58.1 million, which would pay him nearly $14.5 million per season. That’s legitimate money for a player who’s been used almost exclusively as a slot receiver and doesn't provide much else.
He’s made it clear he’d like to stay, but he also understands what’s coming. The 2022 fourth-round pick spoke with Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post about his desire to remain in East Rutherford:
“I would love to be here. I love the Giants. I love the organization. But, if it comes to free agency, I’ll have to go see what my value is.”
Giants face tough call on how much Wan’Dale Robinson is really worth
And that's where things get tricky. Robinson is on pace for the best season of his career — 57 catches, 638 yards, and two touchdowns through eleven games — and has become one of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart’s most reliable targets.
There’s clear value in keeping No. 17 in Giants blue, especially for a franchise that's already razor-thin on offensive playmakers.
But paying top-tier slot money for someone who plays almost exclusively inside forces the front office into a hard conversation. They already extended Darius Slayton, and Nabers will command a massive contract of his own once he’s eligible.
That’s a lot of long-term cap space tied up in a receiver room that's nowhere near elite.
Letting Robinson walk, though, creates its own problem. New York isn't in the strongest position to start losing productive players, especially after watching talent walk out the door year after year. They finally developed someone who fits what they're doing, and replacing that isn’t necessarily easy.
The most likely outcome is they keep talking through the season, see where the number settles, and decide whether they’re comfortable living in that $14–15 million range. If not, they risk watching another homegrown playmaker leave at a time when they can’t afford more roster holes.
Robinson’s breakout is a great story. It also forces the Giants into a decision they haven’t exactly handled well at all in the past. The clock’s already ticking, and this one isn’t just going to figure itself out.