It's been weeks since the Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms on long-term contract extensions with Drake London and Kyle Pitts, but this front office isn't done yet. They still have the biggest fish to fry in Bijan Robinson, but they're starting to face some obstacles in securing their final major extension.
As soon as the Falcons extended both London and Pitts, it quickly became clear that Bijan would be the next priority. It was basically the NFL's worst-kept secret. But since any possible deal would send the running back market into another stratosphere, they've been waiting a bit to get the deal done.
But the longer they wait, the worse things get in Atlanta. They know they're about to pay the All-Pro back market-shattering money anyways, so why wait? We have roughly a week until training camp begins, and Ian Cunningham should want to have all three contracts done by the time they report.
The Falcons are costing themselves money by waiting to extend Bijan Robinson
Part of the obstacle the Falcons are facing is no fault of their own. They already picked up the 24-year-old's fifth-year option earlier this offseason, but Jahmyr Gibbs and Detroit Lions have proven to be a thorn in their side, which has triggered one of the ugliest stalemates on the running back market.
Gibbs and the Lions are trying to one-up Bijan by making him the highest-paid RB in NFL history, but there's a caveat. While both franchises are trying to save money by extending their superstar running back first, both players (and their agents) want to make more money by being the second to sign.
But here's what the Dirty Birds don't realize: the longer this process drags out, the more money they are going to lose. Extending a player like Bijan Robinson isn't something you overthink, so there is no reason to continue the theatrics when we know Cunningham isn't bluffing and will extend him soon.
At this point, you're not exactly in a position to do anything else. The fourth-year back is coming off of a season where he led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards and was an Offensive Player of the Year finalist. And he's been the centerpiece of Atlanta's offense ever since he took his first carry in 2023.
The Falcons know they'll have to pay the NFL's best running back over $20 million per year on a new contract regardless, but the longer they wait and the longer this Gibbs stalemate goes on, the more the price tag will go up. Soon we could be approaching the $25 million a year ballpark for these two.
When you have an elite dual-threat back like Bijan Robinson, it's obvious you extend him. In the modern NFL, retaining talent at the right price is paramount, but the Falcons are putting themselves in a position where they're going to have to spend more than they need to on a premier player by waiting.
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