The Atlanta Falcons are officially halfway done on the contract extension front. They finally agreed to terms on a four-year deal with Drake London last week, but unfortunately, this front office still has to sign Bijan Robinson to a new deal, and to be brutally honest, he's a significantly bigger fish to fry.
But as weird as it may sound, the Falcons are in luck. The four-year, $141 million price tag they signed London to isn't anything they have to worry about with Bijan. Sure, the 24-year-old is set to shatter the running back market, but the current RB market is nowhere near the receiver market is right now.
This is not to say Bijan won't command a pretty penny on a second contract, because he 100% will, but it won't be $35.25 million a year like with London. And comparatively speaking, whatever his next contract is will shape out to become one of the best values in the NFL. And a deal feels inevitable.
Falcons can use a slow RB market to their advantage with Bijan Robinson
The lackluster RB market is something the Falcons can capitalize on. Saquon Barkley is currently the highest-paid running back in NFL history with an average annual value of $20.6 million. Both Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are expected to clear that, but Bijan will likely make more than Gibbs on a new deal.
When you put things into perspective, it makes a potential extension look better. Even average receivers are making more money than the best running back in the NFL, which should quell any concerns people have about the negative history that comes behind paying an RB premium money.
For instance, look at the extension Christian Watson just signed with the Green Bay Packers. Four years and $111 million for a wideout who can't stay healthy and has never cleared 620 yards in a season. At $27.625 million a year, he's tied for the 15th-highest paid WR in the NFL. That's insane.
Meanwhile, a guy who was an Offensive Player of the Year finalist is going for less. Not only does that exemplify how much the WR market has jumped the shark, it shows the Dirty Birds can go against the grain and be successful. And as the salary cap increases, the more common paying RBs will become.
It's not like the fourth-year back is your run-of-the-mill running back either. Bijan is a dangerous runner and an elite receiver. Not only did he have more receiving yards than Watson did last year, he had more than twice as many receptions. Oh, and he led the NFL with nearly 2,300 scrimmage yards. I'd rather the Texas product over a solid WR2, and I'm sure most general managers would agree.
The crazy part is his best football is yet to come under Kevin Stefanski and Bill Callahan. I'm no psychic, but I watched all eight seasons of Psych and all three movies. And I don't think I need to tap into my inner Shawn Spencer to say a Bijan Robinson deal will age beautifully over the next few years.
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