Falcons to sign Bijan Robinson to 3-yr extension that resets RB marketplace: Assets

There will no doubt be not more conserving in for Bijan Robinson in Atlanta. The Falcons and their large identify operating attend agreed Tuesday to a three-yr extension price as much as $75 million that resets the marketplace for the site, consistent with league resources with knowledge of the contract who spoke anonymously as a result of they’d been not licensed to speak publicly.

The deal makes Robinson the finest-paid operating attend in NFL historic earlier with the unpleasant label price $22.25 million consistent with 12 months, and the extension comprises $51 million in assured cash.

The two facets have been in negotiations for months. And while the Falcons dedicated greater than $290 million to only a few core avid gamers this summer time, the maintain Robinson took extra time and ended in Robinson not working towards for the large majority of the primary week of training camp.

Robinson is the 3rd of Atlanta’s younger stars to evolve to a lengthy-length of time deal this offseason, becoming a member of broad receiver Drake London, who signed a four-yr, $141 million extension on June 8, and tight stop Kyle Pitts, who agreed to a three-yr, $56 million extension on June 23. The staff additionally secured a lengthy-length of time maintain guard Matthew Bergeron, who signed a four-yr extension with $60 million assured on Aug. 1.

“I’m in reality aroused to wait lead this staff and the offense to sizable heights,” Robinson said all of the process via the Falcons’ minicamp in mid-June.

The 24-yr-old fabricated from the College of Texas led the NFL with 2,298 all-reason yards preferrred 12 months, and no participant has greater than his 5,648 yards from scrimmage within the preferrred 3 years. Best Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry beget greater than Robinson’s 3,910 dashing yards in that span.

“I’ve been round some just right operating backs, however obviously you understand how I in reality really feel about Bijan,” Falcons trainer Kevin Stefanski, who coached Adrian Peterson in Minnesota and Gash Chubb in Cleveland, said. “I might release up with correct the legit he is. I like how he is going about his business within the meeting room, how he is going about his business at the grass. The physically ability position is obvious off of the tape. Surely, at the grass, he’s any person that may consistent with probability impact the game in a vital quantity of methods, however I might pivot attend to correct the person who he is and the affect that he has on our roster, our locker room, on a every day basis.”

Robinson was once the 8th pick out within the 2023 NFL Draft, becoming the finest-drafted operating attend since Barkley was once taken 2d general through the Giants in 2018. He at once made enough of a dash in Atlanta that his luck paved the approach for the Las Vegas Raiders to choose Ashton Jeanty 6th in 2025 and the Cardinals to take Jeremiyah Fancy 3rd this spring.

The Falcons exercised the fifth-yr risk on Robinson’s contract previous this 12 months, which will consistent with probability neatly beget saved him with the staff at least via the 2027 season, however even then, first-yr conventional supervisor Ian Cunningham was once hopeful of having a lengthy-length of time deal performed this summer time.

This drop, Robinson is hoping to prime preferrred 12 months’s occupation-finest numbers, however he’s additionally hoping to devise his first playoff glance as a valid.

“Particular person goals are sizable, however I’m going to continue to be the individual the staff can rely on,” he said. “Fancy I stammer annually, I’m correct making an attempt to be more than I used to be preferrred 12 months in all sides of my recreation. … Ultimate 12 months was once a fab 12 months, however this 12 months I are taking a look out to be even larger.”

Stefanski’s staff would most likely consistent with probability be the 3rd Robinson has carried out for in his instant profession.

“You correct should be in reality adaptable,” Robinson said. “I principally beget realized a type of diverse personalities. I’ve thought to be a type of diverse problems in this developing. I beget a type of them have been sizable other people, sizable coaches.”

No participant has greater than Robinson’s 1,003 offensive touches since he joined the league in 2023, and the brand new educating staff has already made transparent it doesn’t understanding on chopping his workload any.

“Bijan loves football,” offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “That’s the place it begins. What a transparent human being. He’s fervent to comprehend such a lot.”

Bijan will no doubt be joined within the backfield this 12 months through free-agent addition Brian Robinson.

“He’s a massive guy,” Brian Robinson said of Bijan. “He’s exactly what you be aware. He involves paintings every day in a position to be his best. It’s no surprise that he performs the approach he performs.”

Bijan Robinson’s new deal comes amid his rising international recognition, which was once highlighted all of the process via this summer time’s International Cup through his friendships with France’s Kylian Mbappe and Brazil’s Vinicius Jr.

“They are larger than maximum celebrities, in reality all celebrities in The us,” Robinson said. “It’s in reality cool to be aware how they maintain it.”

Robinson and Vinicius beget bonded in section via their courting with celebrity jeweler Leo Khusro, additionally known as Leo Frost.

“We persistently textual content every diverse after video video games,” Robinson said. “He watches all our video video games. He would ship me the highlights from the game. It’s cool to hang around with him. He’s this type of huge dude. He’s a extremely, in reality just right individual. What he does at the sphere and what I reach at the sphere, there are a type of similarities. I’m aroused to be aware what he can reach within the International Cup.”

Robinson traveled to Italy and France previous this 12 months to comprehend promotional paintings for the NFL and himself, and he’ll be in Spain in November for the Falcons recreation towards the Bengals in Madrid, the place he plans to reunite with Mbappe, who performs professionally for Correct Madrid, but even so to 2 diverse pals from the Spanish staff.

“The life that (the football avid gamers) stay to be had and the process they inch about their business is ok willing,” he said. “They are very arranged and team-oriented.”