The Atlanta Falcons signed wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. to lucrative contract extensions this month. Both players were scheduled to be free agents following the 2026 season, but new general manager Ian Cunningham made sure that didn't happen. Despite having two years left on his rookie deal, multiple reports indicate star running back Bijan Robinson is next in line this summer for a new deal. Typically, teams get extensions done for first-round picks after their fourth season in the league, before the fifth-year option kicks in. Getting an extension for Robinson this summer would jump the queue a bit, an indication of his importance to the team and keeping their All-Pro happy. Still just 24 years old, what could an extension for Robinson look like?The MarketThe two highest-paid running backs on average for the 2026 season are currently Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers at $20.6 million and $19 million, respectively. Robinson is going to smash through those numbers. He led the NFL in scrimmage yards with 2,298 last year and accounted for 48.2% of the Falcons' total yards. He has age on his side as well. The 49ers were comfortable with McCaffrey's extension despite him being 28 when he received it. Barkley was also 28 last May when he signed his two-year, $41.2 million extension with the Eagles. Durability is also in Robinson's favor through his first three seasons. He's started every game but one since he was drafted in 2023. Barkley missed four games in his first two seasons and only played two in his third after suffering a knee injury. McCaffrey played in every game in 2025, but he missed 13 games in 2024, 10 games in 2021, and 13 games in 202 with a variety of injuries. The MoneyFormer general manager Terry Fontenot was widely criticized for taking a non-premium position with the No. 8 pick in 2023, Robinson has been considered a hit since his selection. He's the face of the Atlanta Falcons, regarded as their most popular and important player. He's going to be paid like it. Robinson will get a contract in the neighborhood of $25 million per year, and it will likely start in 2027 to replace his fifth-year option. Now, the key isn't really the contract average; it's the total guaranteed money. A four-year contract for $100 million with $50 million guaranteed is really a two-year contract with club options included for salary cap reasons.Running backs rarely get more than two years of guaranteed money on second contracts because of the nature of their position. The fall-off as they get wear and tear on their bodies can be drastic (see Devonta Freeman/Todd Gurley). However, more recently, there seem to be more exceptions to that rule. McCaffrey, Barkley, and Derrick Henry immediately come to mind. All three players have been exceedingly productive as they hit their late 20s, or even 30s, like Henry. Bijan Robinson feels like one of those exceptions. Robinson will probably get three years of guaranteed money on his extension. Four years at $100 million with $75 million guaranteed would lock him up for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons and push him to still be just 27 years old at the end of his guaranteed money. It will easily be the most guaranteed money ever given to a running back. The Salary CapWhile $25 million will be a record for a running back, relatively speaking, it's not a lot of money as the salary cap will continue to grow. Currently, 16 quarterbacks make more than $25 million per year, and the Class of 2024 will add to that number significantly when Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, and Bo Nix come up for extensions (with Michael Penix Jr. pending). 18 wide receivers make at least $25 million. Falcons owner Arthur Blank has the cash to help Cunningham manipulate the salary cap with signing bonuses, extensions, and void years. For example, Drake London just got a four-year, $141 million ($100 million guaranteed) extension, and his cap number for 2026 is only $8 million, according to Over the Cap. His signing bonus is spread across four years of the contract, and they're paying him a minimum base salary while guaranteeing more of his salary in later years. The void years are prime to be replaced by restructures as the Falcons use London's youth to their advantage and extend his guaranteed money one year at a time. Robinson's fifth-year option is due to have an $11.3 million cap hit in 2027. Odds are, it will actually be lower than that. The FranchiseThe fact that the Falcons are willing to tear up the fifth-year option and take the franchise tag off the table is an indication of how they feel about Robinson. Blank has never had trouble taking care of his star players when it comes to salary. Investing so heavily in a running back can be risky, but it's a risk that has paid off so far.Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us and 30,000 Falcons fans on Facebook and X for the latest news!Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow