As soon as the Atlanta Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson, it put Tyler Allgeier's time with the team on the clock. Even as the RB2, the fourth-year running back has still managed to carve out a meaningful role in one of the NFL's most potent ground attacks—but his looming free agency threatens his time in Atlanta more than ever before.
Allgeier has long been the subject of trade rumors, but Fontenot has never entertained the idea of trading him as his 225-pound frame perfectly complements Robinson's elusiveness. After rushing for 1,035 yards as a rookie, the 24-year-old proved he's more than capable of leading a backfield on his own, but has been content remaining a Falcon—for now.
One team has become an obvious deadline destination—if Terry Fontenot even picks up the phone. It was reported yesterday that the Arizona Cardinals were placing running back Trey Benson on IR due to a torn meniscus which required surgery just one week after losing starter James Conner to a season-ending foot injury.
Cardinals RB Trey Benson is being placed on injured reserve due to his knee injury. pic.twitter.com/MiWZHtfHj6
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2025
Falcons should hang up the phones on teams calling about Tyler Allgeier
With Benson sidelined until Week 10 at the earliest, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort could make the call, as Arizona is incredibly depleted at the position until the 2024 third-round pick returns. However, Fontenot and Raheem Morris realize making a trade like this would be a grave mistake.
In large part due to the fourth-year back, the Falcons are averaging 136.5 rushing yards per game this season, which is good for seventh in the NFL. While having a do-it-all back like Robinson—who is on pace for over 2,000 scrimmage yards—makes things easy, its Allgeier who helps wear defenses down.
In the interim, Jonathan Gannon and OC Drew Petzing will have to turn to a three-man committee of Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Bam Knight—which is surely driving Cards fans mad.
However, this would be more than a short term fix. Once Benson does manage, he and the former BYU standout could prove to be Arizona's long-term running back tandem as Conner is 30 and it looks like his best days are behind him.
Even teams like the Bears, Texans, and Bengals have needs at running back, and could join the Allgeier sweepstakes, even if they have little luck.
The Falcons' offense is fresh off of their best offensive performance of the season, and it seems as though Michael Penix Jr. is improving weekly—so it would likely take hefty draft compensation to entice Fontenot and Morris to pull the trigger.
The run game remains the cornerstone of Atlanta’s identity, and even if a long-term extension isn’t in the cards for the 2022 fifth-rounder, dismantling the “thunder-and-lightning” duo now could be a costly misstep.