The staring contest between the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons is over. The two teams that had star running backs looking for a contract extension were waiting for one another to get a deal done first. Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were also seemingly hoping to see what the other one got from their team so that they could beat out their contract and be the highest-paid RB in the league.
It was the Falcons who ended their star rusher's hold-in on Tuesday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Robinson is signing a three-year, $66.75 million deal that could be worth up to $75 million. The deal includes a record $51 million guaranteed, including $37 million at signing.
This deal was always going to get done. And it was almost certainly going to come at a price that made Robinson the highest-paid RB in the league, only to be beaten by Gibbs.
Yet, the overall contract value of the deal came at a higher rate than expected, making the Lions a potential loser here. If the Lions, in fact, have to beat out this annual average salary in their deal with Gibbs, they will end up signing a larger contract than they initially thought.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a big winner of the Falcons' extension with Bijan Robinson
Robinson is now at the top of the list for contract value and annual average salary among RBs, with $66.75 million and $22.25 million, respectively. Before this deal, Saquon Barkley was the only rusher in the league who was over the $20 million per year threshold.
That is why many thought that the Lions could lock Gibbs up for multiple years by going slightly over Barkley's $20.6 million salary. Now, however, the price they have to beat is $22.25 million.
Let's assume that the Lions sign Gibbs to a $23 million AAV contract. Regardless of how good Gibbs has been over the last three years, that is a huge commitment to make on a contract that will not kick in until the 2028 season. It is an especially risky investment in a running back.
The length of the deal will be as important as the AAV. Detroit likes to give its players four-year extensions. Perhaps they could get Gibbs on a slight discount if they give him an additional year that Robinson didn't get. Whether a four-year, $90 million deal is better than a three-year, $75 million contract is up for debate.
This is certainly a good problem to have for the Lions. They have been so good at drafting that they consistently have to deal with contract extensions for their budding stars. Getting players on team-friendly deals, however, is the best way to build a sustainable contender. Let's hope that this Robinson deal doesn't force the Lions to sign Gibbs to a more player-friendly deal.
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