When Tyler Allgeier left the Atlanta Falcons for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Falcons fans were pretty bummed out. He's been one of the better backup running backs in the NFL, but was hoping the change of scenery in Arizona would help him get out of Bijan Robinson's shadow for good.
So much for that. Not even six weeks after signing a two-year deal with the Cardinals, they already did to him what the Falcons did by drafting Bijan. With the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Arizona took Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, a guy that'll likely take over their backfield instantly.
So not only will he have to fend off both James Conner and Trey Benson for a complimentary role, Conner typically occupies the role of a change-of-pace, goal-line back that Allgeier often does. He is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off an injury, but the path to snaps is still tougher than expected.
Tyler Allgeier's Cardinals' future is up in the air after Arizona drafted Jeremiyah Love
The Doak Walker Award winner was undoubtedly the best RB in the nation in 2025. While sharing a backfield with another top RB in Jadarian Price, Love finished third in Heisman voting, was a unanimous All-American, recorded 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns since 2024. Oh, and he's only 20 years old. So while recent draft rumors back this pick up, Allgeier should still feel blindsided.
Not only has Love been compared to one Bijan Robinson, pound for pound, he's one of the best talents in this draft. Allgeier is a good running back, but he's not someone who will deter a franchise from finding a franchise-altering talent at RB, especially given the recent resurgence at the position.
Running back is a luxury position, so you don't draft one in the top 10 of the NFL Draft if you don't plan to utilize them from Day 1. So while he previously had a chance to compete to be Arizona's RB1, them failing to trade down and drafting Love signals how Mike LaFleur wants to model this offense: around a legit cornerstone.
Love is an every-down back, just like the man Allgeier used to back up in Atlanta. He's an elite runner, an elite receiver, and is someone you can build an entire offense around. But part of why Bijan has been so elite for the Dirty Birds is because he had someone like the BYU product to keep him fresh.
I'm sure the 25-year-old isn't too heartbroken, as he'll still make $12.25 million across the next two seasons, but the opportunity won't be there in the way he'd hoped. If only he decided to ride it out for another year with the Falcons, he'd be playing with Bijan instead of the wish.com version in the desert.
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