While Mayfield is trying to move up from the middle, Robinson and Gibbs appear to be in lockstep to reset the RB markets.
Getting extensions with talented quarterbacks is a priority for the Lions and Falcons, Pelissero said.
However, there could be a waiting game going on for both clubs. Whoever gets to the table first is likely to get ahead soon after. Therefore, it might be better (aka cheaper) for Atlanta or Detroit to get a deal done first, while Gibbs or Robinson are more likely to get the bigger payday if they sign second.
It’s fitting that the two are tied, as Robinson was the eighth overall pick in the 2023 first round and Gibbs was a 12-year-old pick.i.e.
Gibbs, 24, has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons and has 5,029 scrimmage yards and 49 scrimmage touchdowns.
The 24-year-old Robinson is a two-time All-Pro bowler last season and has 5,648 scrimmage yards and 34 TDs.
Big numbers have been a byproduct of Gibbs and Robinson on the field throughout. They will follow into their bank accounts now.
Currently, Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles ($41 million total value; $20.6 million average annual value), Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers ($38 million; $19 million) and Miami Dolphins De’Von Achane ($64 million; $16 million) are the standard bearers in average annual salary. Jeremiah Love, meanwhile, was recently given a state-record $53.02 million guaranteed after the Arizona Cardinals selected him third overall in 2026.
How much Robinson and Gibbs’ dollars will go remains to be seen.