allen robinson

The New York Giants need a number one receiver, and Allen Robinson has been connected to the Giants by rumors for a long time now. The Giants never did make a trade for Robinson, but it looks like the wide receiver is going to become a free agent after not agreeing to a contract yet with the Bears. Chicago, of course, has just been eliminated from the playoffs. With no more games this season, the franchise will likely turn their attention to personnel decisions like this.

Robinson said on Monday, the day after the game, that “everything’s pretty much on the table” despite also claiming that he has great fondness for the Bears as an organization. That ‘everything’ includes the option of leaving the Bears for some other team, and Robinson restated how long the Bears have had to reach a deal before things got to this point.

“I personally feel like we had an opportunity to be able to get something done over the past 365 days,” Robinson told media. Robinson’s social media activity earlier in the season indicated he might be thinking of leaving Chicago. The receiver was spotted liking some tweets about that subject, and popular consensus says Robinson will likely be on the way out as part of reshuffling for Chicago.

It remains to be seen if the Giants are a good destination in the long run for the receiver, though. The Giants may find it hard to fit Robinson in under the salary cap, and it looks like Robinson is interested in leaving the bad quarterback situation of the Bears.

While the Giants only leaned on one QB while Daniel Jones was healthy, Jones himself is another developing quarterback and Mitch Trubisky threw for more touchdowns and less interceptions than Jones did.

Obviously, though, the Giants have a need at receiver and Darius Slayton didn’t turn into that player that they’re looking for last season. If they address this through free agency and not the draft, Robinson may be the player on their radar.

There is a simple reality when it comes to New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, he has very little help around him. Jones has his fair share of struggles, ranging from turnover problems to pocket awareness, but he is an athletic passer who can move the chains with his legs. He has all of the tangible traits you want in an NFL quarterback, but general manager Dave Gettleman has done very little to support him.

Dating back to when Gettleman traded Odell Beckham Jr., he replaced his elite services with Golden Tate, who has been mostly a ghost the past two seasons. He is currently in the second year of a four-year deal, but the Giants luckily have an out after the 2020 season, which will count about $4.7 million dead cap.

With Saquon Barkley consistently being injured, the Giants need to find a WR1. As long as DJ doesn’t have quality receivers to throw to, he will struggle to move the ball downfield. Currently, he has Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Tate, and a bevy of reserve options. Shepard is a fantastic slot option who can move to the outside, but he is not a speed receiver, and with opposing teams lining up their top corners against him, he’s being taken out of games with ease.

If the Giants can land a top receiver, Shepard will have a much easier time getting open and utilizing his short-area quickness and agility to dominate on short/intermediate routes.

The question is, who do the Giants look at in free agency, or should they take a draft approach? Let’s take a look at how they could land an option like Allen Robinson, who will be the top pass catcher on the market in 2021.

The New York Giants can cut/let go of these players:

Kyler Fackrell: $4.6 million coming off the books on a one-year deal

Nate Solder: $10 million saved if Post-June 1 cut but $6.5 million dead cap

Golden Tate: $8.5 million with a $2,352,942 cap hit Post-June 1 cut

=$14.25 million

Due to COVID-19 implications, the salary cap could drop as far as $20 million in 2021 but could also drop as little as $7 million. Based on those numbers, the Giants will have to figure out the best course of action. They have players who will likely be cut or allowed to walk in free agency after one-year contracts, like Kyle Fackrell. They should realistically have enough money to land a top WR in free agency, but they will be stretching their financial flexibility.

Robinson, who has routinely produced with poor quarterback play, could land upwards of $18 million per season. He is the top option, and with two consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns, he would make a significant difference for the Giants at 28 years old.

Offering him a three-year deal, in line with the previous free-agent signings in 2020, will keep their financial stability in place. Moving on from free agents after two years is what the Giants want to do, just in case things don’t pan out like we’ve seen in the past with players like Olivier Vernon (five-year deal).

Of course, utilizing the draft to solve their receiving woes is also a good idea, it’s just a matter if the Giants want proven talent or players with even more upside like Ja’Marr  Chase or Devonta Smith.

Isn’t it ironic that the New York Giants desperately need a WR1 after trading away Odell Beckham Jr. last year? Considering Big Blue ranks dead last in the NFL with 44 points through four games, their offense could certainly use a jolt of energy.

Beckham, who posted 81 yards through the air and 73 yards on the ground in the victory over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday afternoon, is rubbing it in the face of the Giants. He also hit pay-dirt twice, while the Giants haven’t scored a touchdown in over two games. Over the last 16 quarters of football, Daniel Jones and the offense have only reached the end zone twice, with their last six scoring drives resulting in field goals.

Considering the Giants’ lack of offensive weaponization, finding a free agent WR1 in 2021 might be a necessity. Given they don’t allocate a high draft pick toward the position in the 2021 NFL draft, current Chicago Bear Allen Robinson could fit the bill. Against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Robinson posted 101 yards and one score over seven receptions.

The Bears only managed 11 points, but Robinson displayed his number one WR status in the loss. So far in the campaign, Robinson has 331 yards and two scores and would offer Jones a fantastic option in the receiving game.

The New York Giants will need to allocate resources one way or another:

The primary issue is his future contract, which will likely land in the $15-18 million range per season. The Giants have a healthy cap situation at the moment, given they have several high profile players on one-year deals. They currently are paying Leonard Williams and Kyler Fackrell a combined $20.7 million. Getting rid of their contracts would allow the Giants to sign Robinson and then some. In addition, they could look to extend Williams on a multi-year deal, but it would have to be less than $14 million per-season, given his inability to rack up sacks at an extravagant level.

Pairing Robinson with Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton would be fantastic; this would also assume that the Giants cut Golden Tate, who would otherwise count $8.5 million against the cap. After the 2020 season, the Giants have an out in his deal, counting $4.7 million against the cap in dead money, but will ultimately save them about $4 million.

With all of these savings added up, the Giants are in a solid position to spend in free agency and add players via the draft. With a defense playing above their weight-class, solving the offense’s issues is a major concern at this point.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention the schematic deficiencies that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has imposed on the team thus far.