When new Atlanta Falcons' general manager Ian Cunningham spoke at league meetings about Bijan Robinson, the surface topic was simple: whether or not the Falcons will pick up his fifth-year option before the May 1 deadline even though he's expected to land a long-term deal in the coming months.
But the way he talked about Robinson had nothing to do with a one-year procedural decision: “He is one of the best players at his position, one of the best players in the league… I was excited that I had already had the chance to get to know him and start some dialogue with him.”
Cunningham didn’t sound like a GM preparing to pick up an option. He sounded like a GM preparing to write a massive check. He even made it clear Robinson (along with Drake London) is “top of mind” once the draft is over. That’s the key timeline clue. Not if. When.
And in Robinson’s case, the timing matters: he’s now eligible for a contract extension because he’s completed his third season meaning the Falcons don’t have to wait to sign him to a big money deal. And that's a blessing since you already know Kevin Stefanski is ready to drive up that price tag.
Every NFL fan with a pulse already knows the Atlanta Falcons are nearing an extension with Bijan Robinson
This isn’t just Atlanta reading the room. The NFL is. Adam Schefter said it plainly on his podcast:
“Bijan Robinson is going to cash in… get ready for the parade of running backs, because that’s what’s coming next.”
He grouped Robinson with Jahmyr Gibbs and De'Von Achane as the next backs in line for market shifting deals. The current top of the RB market sits north of $15 million per year, with names like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Derrick Henry.
Robinson is freshly 24 years old, coming off a 2,298 yard from scrimmage season, and just finished fourth in Offensive Player of the Year voting. This is not a “should the Falcons pay him?” discussion. This is a “how far above the market are they willing to go?” discussion.
Ian Cunningham closed with a line that might matter more than anything else he said: “It’s helpful when one of your best players is one of your best people, too.”
That’s the kind of thing you say about a player you want representing your organization for the next five to seven years on the field, in the locker room, and as the face of the team globally.
Yes, the fifth year option will get picked up. That part is inevitable. But Cunningham didn’t talk like a GM thinking about 2027 flexibility. He was thinking well beyond.
He talked like a GM who already knows Bijan Robinson isn’t going anywhere, and the only remaining details are when the extension is signed and how big the number is.