Running back James Robinson, who was scheduled to be a restricted free agent, will not be tendered an offer by the New York Jets, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Friday.
Robinson, who was acquired by the Jets in a midseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, will be a free agent.
He rushed for a combined 425 yards and three TDs between the two teams last season. He openly discussed his displeasure with the Jets after not playing in a game against the Chicago Bears, saying “Obviously, I didn’t come here not to play.”
The Jets acquired Robinson on Oct. 24, one day after rookie starter Breece Hall suffered a season-ending ACL injury. They gave up a conditional 2023 sixth-round pick, with the stipulation that it would rise to a fifth-round pick if he rushed for 260 or more yards with the Jets. He fell well short of that threshold, finishing with only 85 yards in four games.
Team officials said at the end of the season that they wanted to retain Robinson, but it didn’t seem practical from a cap standpoint. It would’ve cost them $2.6 million if they had tendered him at the lowest level — relatively steep for a backup running back.
The Jets have good depth at the position. They have three experienced backs in Hall, Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight. Ty Johnson is a pending free agent.
Robinson burst on the scene as a rookie, rushing for 1,070 yards and scoring 10 total touchdowns in his debut 2020 season with the Jaguars. In four NFL seasons, the undrafted rookie has rushed for 2,262 yards and has scored 23 total touchdowns.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.
