Market Reset: Jahmyr Gibbs Poised for Record Payday Following Bijan Robinson Extension

The financial landscape for NFL running backs shifted significantly on Tuesday, Aug. 4, as the Atlanta Falcons signed Bijan Robinson to a three-year contract extension, as Sports Illustrated first reported. According to the outlet, the deal is worth up to $75 million and carries an average per year (APY) of $22.25 million, establishing a new league record for the position.

Robinson, a first-team All-Pro last season and a two-time Pro Bowl selection, has effectively set a new benchmark that puts Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the spotlight. Gibbs, also a first-round pick from the 2023 draft, is viewed as the next player likely to reset the market. Gibbs enters these potential negotiations coming off a 2024 season where he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and a 2025 season that earned him his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.

Gibbs has been a hold-in during the start of training camp. When questioned Tuesday regarding the impact of Robinson's record-breaking extension on the Lions' negotiations with Gibbs, Detroit coach Dan Campbell stated, “It‗s not gonna hurt, but we’ll see.” Campbell added that while he is anxious to get Gibbs back on the field with the team, the deal “will get done when it gets done.”

Robinson's extension was part of a broader trend of massive payouts for 2023 first-round picks on Tuesday. Sports Illustrated reports that the Baltimore Ravens agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension with wide receiver Zay Flowers, which includes $108 million in guarantees and an APY of $35 million. Additionally, the Chicago Bears signed tackle Darnell Wright to a four-year, $116 million extension. Wright's deal includes $93 million in guarantees, marking the highest guaranteed amount for an offensive lineman in the history of the NFL.