If the Atlanta Falcons do one thing before the offseason ends, it better be signing Bijan Robinson to a long-term contract extension. He is the engine of the offense and the best running back in the NFL; they can't mess around when trying to secure his future.
Everyone knows that, including a franchise legend who knows what a great running back looks like. While appearing on 680 The Fan, Michael Turner sent a message to the front office that everyone agrees with: pay the man ASAP. He said the same before the 2026 NFL Draft, and doubled down.
"You're going to end up paying them more if you wait, so it depends on how you like the guy," Turner said. "You'd rather pay them more than wait and play that game and pay them more, then so be it. It's up to them. They know Bijan, what he brings to the table. It's just, do you want to pay him now or later?"
Michael Turner knows the Falcons can't wait any longer to extend Bijan Robinson
Casual fans think it makes sense to milk a rookie contract as long as possible and then agree to an extension -- it seems like it would save the most money.
However, that is anything but true. As most of us know, the market is always changing as players continue to raise the position market. And with the running back market ready to explode as the position enjoys a renaissance, the Falcons must get ahead of things with their young superstar.
The RB market has been stagnant for years. Teams don't want to pay a position that rarely survives that long. But it feels like that's changing. Guys like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Christian McCaffrey set up younger players like Bijan, Jahmyr Gibbs, and De'von Achane for historic deals.
Achane was the first domino to fall as the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $64-million contract worth an average of $16 million per year. The Falcons now have to beat the Lions to an extension, because whoever goes second with likely become the new highest-paid player at the position.
Right now, that honor goes to Saquon Barkley at $20.6 million per year. This means Bijan could approach $100 million over four years.
As Turner said, paying him now saves you money in the long run. Sure, he may get a raise over his next two seasons, but if you wait until his contract expires, the market will look vastly different, and you risk holdouts and potentially a late holdup in negotiations that ruin everything.
Ian Cunningham knows this, and rumor has it that they're already working on paying their Offensive Player of the Year finalist. The fact of , if they were willing to pay Drake London as much money as they did, they should be willing to pay Robinson whatever it takes.
Hopefully, this means they will beat the Lions to the punch with Gibbs. This is basically an arms race for these two teams, and the Falcons might be ahead of things. And if they follow Michael Turner's advice and extend Bijan Robinson, they will be much happier in the long run.
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