Jets named best free-agent fit for crosstown rival's 2025 breakout star

The New York Jets' 2026 offseason worst-case scenario would be whiffing on finding a quality starting quarterback. The next most disastrous thing that could happen would be finding one, but not adding a weapon for him to throw to.

The Jets certainly have one of the best receivers in the game in Garrett Wilson, but alone, he can only do so much. As we saw last season, if he goes down for any length of time, so does the entire passing game.

New York will surely look to add weaponry in the draft, but there are other, even more pressing needs to be addressed early. They'll also need to look to free agency to supplement the receiving corps, because frankly, they need to add more than one quality pass catcher behind Wilson.

According to ESPN, the Jets won't have to look far for the ideal free-agent target to revitalize the passing game, pegging New York Giants standout Wan'Dale Robinson as the team's best fit.

Giants star Wan'Dale Robinson named a perfect free-agent fit for the Jets

At 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, Robinson doesn't look like the type of dominant receiving force you'd expect to get the engines revving in free agency. And for a time 2022 second-round pick wasn't.

Running a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Robinson was more shifty than fast and looked to be something of a gadget-type player as he entered the league. Most analysts had Robinson as a mid-round talent, so it was a surprise when the Giants reached for him with the 43rd pick.

His first two seasons with the Giants saw him slowly ascend, but his repertoire was limited to the short passing game, averaging just 9.9 yards per catch in 2022 and 8.8 in 2023. In 2024, he became a volume target, catching 93 passes but tallying just 699 yards.

In 2025, he caught 92 balls, but this time, things were different. Robinson's role expanded, with him getting even more looks down the field after Brian Daboll's dismissal on November 10. Robinson posted 1,014 yards and looked comfortable as he got looks at all three levels on the field.

Prior to last season, Robinson had received only 12 targets of 20 yards or more downfield. In 2025, he got 22 looks at that depth. He'd haul in 11 of those passes, posting a 97.9 Pro Football Focus grade in the process, which tied Indianapolis Colts star (and former Frank Reich draft pick) Alec Pierce for 14th in the league.

Robinson's a slot receiver, and can now do a little bit of everything. He's an above-average separator while running routes. He posts solid yards after the catch numbers. And now, he can stretch the field.

Reich likes to try and dial up the big play, and Robinson has proven that he can deliver, while also possessing the skill set necessary to thrive in the heavy mesh concept scheme that the Jets' new offensive coordinator prefers to run.

With Robinson in the slot to complement Wilson, the Jets' receiving corps will look much more formidable. Robinson just turned 25 in January, so he's exactly the type of young free agent that Gang Green should be investing in. Throw in a big-bodied X receiver on the other side, and the Jets will really be cooking.