The running back position has gone through a full-blown renaissance over the last couple of years in the NFL. Stars, particularly from the 2010s, like Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Christian McCaffrey, have re-established themselves as game-breaking threats.
At the same time, some younger stars are cementing their legendary status. Two names in particular, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, remain near the top of the pyramid. But with neither star getting a new contract yet, one insider breaks down what it could mean for their respective franchises.
Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson Are Entirely Unique Talents
Both Gibbs and Robinson were first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. While the Atlanta Falcons added Robinson with the eighth overall pick, Gibbs went just four spots later, at 12. In the three years since, there has been very little to separate the two.
The Detroit Lions’ star has already compiled over 3,500 rushing yards in his first three seasons, to go along with an astounding 39 touchdowns on the ground. Robinson, on the other hand, has eclipsed 3,900 rushing yards with 25 rushing touchdowns to his credit. Over the last two seasons, both players have been inside the top four of PFN’s RB Impact Rankings.
But, as they enter their fourth season in the NFL, neither player has gotten a contract extension yet. With the immense talent on display and the focus that both teams have on their ground attack, it could only be a matter of time before a new deal is finalized.
However, Mike Florio of NBC Sports believes the decision will ultimately come down to the exact number in the contract. He wrote, “Should it be a matter of getting them to $21 million or $22 million per year, or should they be north of $25 million?”
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On that note, he posited a simple question. “If Robinson or Gibbs were currently available to any team, wouldn’t they get at least $25 million per year?” The problem became even bigger when both organizations had already cemented their pecking order.
“That’s likely the biggest issue the Falcons and Lions are facing,” Florio added. “In Atlanta, former head coach Raheem Morris repeatedly said last year that Robinson is the best player in the league. In Detroit, the Lions have reconfigured the roster to make Gibbs the workhorse.”
As a result, the upside and the demand for their talent were hard to deny. Florio continued, “They’re still young; both are 24. They’re in their primes, with plenty of tread on the tires. This is the time for them to get as much as they can.”
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But even more than the raw numbers on the ground, both Gibbs and Robinson are equally dangerous through the air as well. Just last season, the former accumulated 616 yards and five touchdowns, while the latter was similarly dominant at 820 yards and four touchdowns.
As a result, the voice of Pro Football Talk said, “It’s easy to argue that they should get something closer to what the best receivers get than where the top of the running back market currently sits.”
It remains to be seen if and when both players get their new contracts. Given the impact they’ve already had on the field and the state of the rosters without them, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which they don’t continue their time in Detroit and Atlanta.
But the exact details of the contract and the exact timing of when a deal gets finalized will continue to be among the biggest storylines of the upcoming season.
