The New York Giants unsurprisingly chose not to use the franchise tag on Wan’Dale Robinson. The 25-year-old receiver could have commanded the $28 million tag to keep him off the open market, but his projected value sits much closer to the $17–20 million range, making the decision pretty straightforward.
The 25-year-old is coming off the best season of his four-year career with 92 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. Even with numbers like that, he’s still not viewed as Big Blue’s top priority in free agency. Which says a lot for a team that still needs help at receiver.
The truth is, context matters. Robinson did an admirable job filling in for an injured Malik Nabers, but he’s still a 5-foot-8 slot receiver looking to get paid top-tier WR2 money when he’s really more of a high-end WR3. Slot receivers are also typically the easiest to replace, while finding a true prototypical X (boundary) receiver is much harder.
With limited cap space, the Giants can’t afford to tie $17 million to a roster spot they could fill for cheaper through free agency or the draft. Not using the franchise tag was the first sign that general manager Joe Schoen and Co. might be willing to let him walk. Here are five places that make the most sense.
Five teams that could steal Wan’Dale Robinson from the Giants
Tennessee Titans
Two words: Brian Daboll. Robinson has spent his entire NFL career in Daboll’s offense, so there’s already built-in familiarity there. Now that Dabs is calling plays in Tennessee, bringing in a receiver who already knows the system would be about as plug-and-play as it gets.
If the Titans want to make life easier for second-year quarterback Cam Ward, adding a playmaker who understands exactly what the offensive coordinator wants is a pretty simple place to start.
Tennessee also has money to burn and a clear need at wideout. With nearly $100 million in cap space and a passing attack that struggled last season, Robinson’s ability to separate in the slot would give Ward a reliable target right away.
New England Patriots
Drake Maye took a massive leap last season, and the Patriots now have to focus on keeping that momentum going. Adding a receiver who can consistently get open underneath would give their young quarterback a reliable outlet when defenses start taking away the deep shots.
There’s also the bigger picture in New England’s receiver room. Stefon Diggs isn’t getting any younger, and the rest of the group still feels more like a collection of complementary pieces. Robinson would slide in naturally as a high-volume slot option who helps keep the offense on schedule.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are likely heading into the rookie-quarterback era *cough, Fernando Mendoza, cough*, and that usually means building an offense full of easy throws. A quick-separating slot receiver becomes a quarterback’s best friend in that situation, especially when the offense is still finding its footing.
Las Vegas also has the financial flexibility to make a move like this without much hesitation. With plenty of cap space and a receiver room still searching for long-term answers, Robinson would give the Silver and Black a reliable underneath option as they try to help out their new quarterback.
Denver Broncos
Denver might not exactly need another receiver, but the connections here are too fun to ignore. New offensive coordinator Davis Webb played with Robinson in New York back in 2022, and reunions are always a classic. Webb already helped bring Evan Engram to Denver last offseason, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he pushed for another familiar face this offseason.
There’s also the Sean Payton angle. Payton has talked plenty about wanting more versatile playmakers who can move around the formation and create mismatches for Bo Nix. Robinson fits that mold as a quick slot weapon who can help keep Nix on schedule when the throw-it-up-to-Courtland-Sutton-and-hope-he-makes-a-play plan stalls.
Minnesota Vikings
There could be a sneaky opening at receiver in Minnesota, depending on how the Jordan Addison experience plays out. The talented young wideout has had a knack for finding trouble off the field, and with a contract extension looming, the Vikings could decide a clean break makes more sense than another long-term commitment.
Even if Addison sticks around, Robinson would still fit nicely in HC Kevin O’Connell’s offense. O’Connell comes from the same coaching tree as Liam Coen, Robinson’s offensive coordinator during his breakout season at Kentucky, so the role would look familiar.
Pairing Robinson's game with Justin Jefferson's would give Minnesota another reliable intermediate option and take some pressure off J.J. McCar... whoever is under center in 2026.