Titans hoping agreement with Wan'Dale Robinson pans out, unlike past WR additions

The Tennessee Titans haven't had much luck when adding wide receivers in free agency, but that hasn't stopped them from trying again.

On Monday, the Titans and WR Wan'Dale Robinson agreed to a four-year, $78M deal with $38M guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. That will reunite the wideout with new Tennessee offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who coached the WR from 2022-25 as New York Giants HC. 

Despite Robinson's familiarity with Daboll's offense, the pending transaction is risky for Tennessee, especially when considering its track record at the position. 

Titans' past WR additions have flopped 

The Titans signed WR Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92M deal before the 2024 season. Bet they wish they could have a do-over on that one. The 2018 first-round pick has just four touchdown catches in two seasons in Tennessee after recording 36 in five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons. 

The Ridley deal came after the Titans had signed WR DeAndre Hopkins to a two-year, $26M deal before the 2023 season. He started 19 games for the team before it traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 season.   

Robinson is far less accomplished than Ridley (a 2020 second-team All-Pro) and Hopkins (a three-time first-team All-Pro), raising more concerns. The former Kentucky Wildcats star tied for 14th in the NFL in receiving yards (1,014, a career high) in 2025. In his first three seasons, though, the 2022 second-round pick never surpassed 699 receiving yards, meaning he's a one-season wonder thus far. 

Does that mean the Titans' plan to add Robinson will flop just as it did with Hopkins and Ridley? 

Why there are reasons to be optimistic about agreed Wan'Dale Robinson deal 

Viewing the pending Robinson deal through a pessimistic lens is understandable, but let's now take the opposite approach. While his numbers before 2025 were pedestrian, some of that tied to QB play. New York started QBs Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart during his tenure. 

Titans QB Cam Ward struggled but showed flashes after Tennessee selected him No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. The former Miami Hurricanes star set the team's rookie record for passing yards (3,169). If he and Robinson jell, the WR should continue on an upward trajectory in Tennessee.

"[Robinson] has been ascending ever since he was drafted," NFL Media analyst/former Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith Sr. said in a clip with The Athletic's James Palmer published Monday. "He's everything you want in a No. 2 wide receiver." 

The Titans are taking a gamble on Robinson, but it seems worthwhile. They clearly need to get more weapons for Ward after a 3-14 season and someone who breaks the string of bad luck at WR.