No individual player had a more impressive season than Philly running back Saquon Barkley. The back proved to be the missing piece for an Eagles team that had as dominating of a postseason run as we've seen in recent memory. Barkley's dominant 2024 season resulted in the Eagles handing the back a record-breaking extension. Philly has reset the running back market making Barkley the first player at his position to earn more than $20-million per season.
The deal guarantees are shockingly high as well for a position with a high level of risk. The Falcons unquestionably are watching this deal with a vested interest as Bijan Robinson's extension looms. Atlanta has one season remaining before they can begin to work with Robinson's camp to work out a long-term deal. The problem for the Falcons is the number of players ahead of Bijan that will need new contracts first.
Eagles are rewarding Saquon Barkley with a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, per sources. The deal makes Barkley the NFL’s first $20 million+ per-year running back. Barkley also has the ability to earn an… pic.twitter.com/h5iEf5IWe2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2025
The Falcons will have a difficult decision ahead of them with former first-round selection Kyle Pitts next offseason. The following year doesn't get any easier with the team needing to decide the futures of both Drake London and Matthew Bergeron. The good news for the Falcons is the fact Kirk Cousins will be off the books by this point, helping to open up massive cap space.
Space the Falcons are going to need to be able to pay London, Bergeron, and Bijan Robinson. Saquon's deal is a warning to the Atlanta front office of the tough decisions that lay ahead. For the past half decade, the position has become underrated. A change in defensive approach returned teams to leaning on the run game even if you had an elite quarterback.
This left reason to believe the market would be drastically altered at the position and this is the first domino in that direction. Bijan Robinson's extension isn't going to grow any cheaper as Atlanta continues to build their offense around the young star.
Fans and the front office should be ready for Robinson's deal to match or surpass Barkley's. Robinson isn't a player the Falcons can afford to let walk away even it if means paying more than $20-million a season for the young star.