(Photo: PFF)
The value of the running back is as high as it’s been in many years. I understand it’s a position that breaks down rather quickly as players advance in age, but let’s look back at 2024 when the New York Giants decided to let Saquon Barkley walk in free agency. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him, and in his first year with the team, he won a Super Bowl. That same year, Derrick Henry signed with the Baltimore Ravens and, although he’s getting older, I still believe he’s one of the best running backs in the league. The Green Bay Packers also signed Josh Jacobs to a free-agent contract. In 2023, the Atlanta Falcons drafted a running back from the University of Texas named Bijan Robinson. Today, the Falcons signed their star back to a contract extension — a three-year deal worth $75 million with $51 million guaranteed — making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
I followed Bijan during his college days with the Texas Longhorns pretty closely, and during my time watching him, I always said he had what it takes to make it in the NFL. The Falcons drafted him with the eighth overall pick in 2023, and he has since become one of the best all-around running backs in the league today. Bijan is the definition of a true three-down weapon who can attack a defense in many different ways. Whether it’s as an outside zone runner, running between the tackles, or in the passing game, he is incredibly effective. He’s especially dangerous in the screen game. I’ve even seen the Falcons line him up in the slot as another receiver, and everything I’ve listed shows that he can give defenses problems in so many different ways. First and foremost, you never know what angle he’s going to attack from. He’s a versatile weapon, and that’s something you have to be in today’s NFL. Of course, people immediately notice his speed and ability to make jump cuts, but what has always stood out to me is his vision and the patience he displays. Bijan doesn’t just run to the hole. He has a way of manipulating defenders. He knows how to press the line of scrimmage, force linebackers in the box to commit to him, plant his foot, cut on a dime, and explode through any crease of space. Those are traits you typically see in veteran backs, and Bijan is only 24 years old. I can appreciate that he forces defenses to account for him everywhere. If he’s lined up in the backfield, linebackers can’t casually blitz. Safeties must be aware of him at all times, or a nickel back may have to cover him. What I’m getting at is the attention he commands on a regular basis creates opportunities and opens the field up for everyone else. There’s a specific play I remember very well from 2024. The Falcons were playing the Texans, and Desmond Ridder just flicked the ball to Bijan — essentially a shovel pass. Bijan caught the ball behind his back and still made defenders miss, even before the ball was completely secured in his hands. That’s the type of talent he possesses.
I know the Falcons haven’t necessarily been one of the best teams in recent years, but they struck gold when they drafted this kid. What Christian McCaffrey is to the 49ers is what Bijan Robinson is to the Atlanta Falcons. Watching him with the ball in his hands is poetry, and I always say he’s not just good at one thing — he does a lot of things very well. He consistently carries the ball out of the backfield, catches passes, and moves well in space after the catch. He’s still so young and has so many great years ahead of him. Bijan reminds me so much of Le’Veon Bell with his playing style. Congratulations to him on his contract extension.
