Veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson II signed with the New York Giants in May, but after the G-Men released their first unofficial depth chart as they prepare to host the Detroit Lions in both teams’ preseason openers on Thursday, it appears Robinson’s roster spot may be in danger.
No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabers is deservedly listed among the team’s starters and Darius Slayton (the team’s leading receiver in four of the last five seasons) is unsurprisingly listed in the group as well. Promising third-year pro Wan’Dale Robinson and second-year player Jalin Hyatt round out the Giants’ starting wideouts room.
Robinson appears not only behind the starting group but is currently the third-stringer in back of Nabers and 25-year-old fourth-year pass-catcher Isaiah Hodgins. The latter has only posted 58 catches for 622 yards and seven touchdowns over 28 games in three seasons, including 21 receptions for 230 yards and three scores last year with New York.
A-Rob has produced marginally better numbers than Hodgins since 2021, collecting 105 catches for 1,029 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He had a career-high 69.4% catch percentage during his lone season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023, but his targets (49) and receiving yards (280) were the lowest of his career outside of his one-game 2017 campaign. He was also held without a touchdown catch for only the second time of his career.
The former second-round pick is nearly one decade removed from his lone Pro Bowl campaign (2015 with the Jacksonville Jaguars), but he’s had sporadic success since then. Robinson spent the first four years of his career with the Jaguars, leading the league in touchdown receptions (14) in 2015.
The 30-year-old signed with the Chicago Bears in March 2018 and posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2020 to go with 200 catches and 13 touchdowns in the two years combined. The Giants are his fourth team in four years after he played one final season in Chicago in 2021, suiting up for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 and the Steelers in 2023.
Some players who spend training camp buried on their squad’s wide receivers’ depth chart eventually find playing time on special teams. The Giants newcomer has hardly been asked to contribute there, though, with just 26 career special teams snaps. His days could be numbered with Big Blue.