Giants sign former Pro Bowl wide receiver

Another veteran wideout has landed a short-term opportunity with a new team in the wake of the draft. The Giants signed Allen Robinson on Thursday, per a team announcement.

CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports this one-year pact will qualify for the veteran salary benefit. As such, it constitutes a low-cost investment on New York’s part as the team looks to add in the passing game. For Robinson, this deal marks his fifth career team.

The 30-year-old established himself as a dependable target during his Jacksonville and Chicago tenures, stretches often marked by underwhelming quarterback play. Robinson still managed to reach the 1,100-yard mark three times (2015, 2019 and 2020). After playing on the franchise tag during his final Bears campaign, expectations were high when he signed a $46.5M Rams deal.

Robinson was limited to just 10 games in 2022, however, and he recorded only 339 yards with Los Angeles. As part of the Rams’ financial maneuvering during the subsequent offseason, he was traded to the Steelers. That move set the one-time Pro Bowler up for another starting position in Pittsburgh, though the team’s passing attack understandably leaned heavily on Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Robinson made 34 scoreless catches in 2023, although he did manage to remain healthy for the full season.

In spite of that availability, it came as little surprise when the Steelers cut Robinson earlier this offseason. Like many other veteran receivers, the Penn State product had a lengthy stay on the open market and needed to wait until after the draft to find a deal. The terms of this agreement demonstrate the limited market Robinson had coming off three straight seasons of underwhelming production. After totaling 200 receptions and 13 touchdowns between 2019-20, he has recorded only a 105-1,029-4 stat line since then.

The Giants did extensive work on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft, and the team submitted an offer to move up to No. 3 in the order to select Drake Maye. In the end, New York retained the sixth selection and used it on Malik Nabers. The LSU speedster will be tasked with helping the team rebound from a forgettable showing on offense endured in 2023. A number of incumbents are also in the fold, although the contractual future of Darius Slayton remains uncertain at this point.

Robinson will aim to earn a roster spot during training camp on a New York offense featuring short- and long-term questions under center. A strong outing in 2024 would help his market value while providing either Daniel Jones or Drew Lock with an experienced pass-catching option along the way.