The Falcons spent their offseason handing out extensions to four players they see as foundational pieces, and the bills came in at very different levels of comfort. Two deals look like straightforward business. Two others are the kind of contracts that make you pause and do the math.
Kyle Pitts got the most interesting one.
The former fourth overall pick was heading toward the 2026 season on the franchise tag, but Atlanta instead locked him in on a three-year, $54 million extension with $36 million guaranteed. What stands out isn’t just the total, but how the money is laid out.
Pitts will count only $4.6 million against the cap in 2026, then about $8 million in 2027 before jumping to $13 million in the final year. For a tight end of his caliber, those are manageable numbers even if he never becomes the weekly 1,000-yard force he was projected to be.
The Falcons made that structure work by voiding $27.4 million of his salary across 2029-2032.
There’s also a built-in decision point after his second season. An opt-out would effectively turn the deal into a two-year, $36 million contract and leave Atlanta with a dead cap hit of just over $10 million in 2028.
That’s not a disaster. And if Pitts delivers, another big extension down the line is very much on the table.
Drake London, meanwhile, was the easy call.
His four-year, $141.5 million deal with $99.9 million guaranteed fits the no-brainer label. London may be the most underrated receiver in football right now.
He finished fourth in the league in receiving yards two years ago with nine touchdowns, and injuries likely kept his 2025 numbers from climbing even higher. Even so, he still nearly cracked 1,000 yards in just 12 games, all while operating without much help from quarterback play.
The new contract makes him the fourth-highest paid receiver in the league. That might feel a touch rich if you rank pass catchers strictly by ability, but NFL paydays don’t always follow that logic. By year three of the deal, London will probably be outside the top 10 at his position anyway.
If London was expected, Matthew Bergeron was the shocker.
Atlanta gave the guard a four-year, $96 million extension with $60 million guaranteed, and that made him the highest-paid guard in the league, tied with the Cowboys’ Tyler Smith. Bergeron has earned a raise - he’s an above-average starter - but he hasn’t come close to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod.
He’s also not even the top guard on his own roster with Chris Lindstrom there. A player doesn’t have to be the best at his position to reset the market, but Bergeron is going to need to be a lot better than he was on his rookie deal to justify this number.
This one was a head-scratcher.
Then there’s Bijan Robinson, who reset the running back market in historic fashion.
His three-year, $75 million extension includes $51 million guaranteed, the most ever for a running back. That $25 million per season is more than $4 million above Saquon Barkley, and it may not hold for long if the Lions extend Jahmyr Gibbs soon.
Atlanta got the deal done before that could happen, and it had little choice anyway. Robinson isn’t just one of the best backs in the league; he’s in the conversation for the best player overall.
He brings it all - rushing, receiving, pass protection - and he’s the kind of complete player teams build around, not let leave.
The length of the deal matters too. Robinson will be 28 when it expires, which gives the Falcons a clean runway if he stays healthy, and maybe even a chance to keep him beyond it.
In Other News...
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Samson Ebukam, brought in on a one-year deal, is the veteran most positioned to help steady that spot. His history with defensive line coach Nate Ollie gives the Falcons some familiarity to lean on, and his experience has been a useful presence in camp as Atlanta tries to strengthen a front that needs dependable production. Whether Pearce is available or not, Ebukam has become part of the teams short-term answer up front. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Battle Is Already Leaving Week 1 In Doubt
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The result has been a lot of waiting and a little improvisation, with veteran Cooper Rush brought in to take part in drills while the others ease back. Penix still has a stretch to go before he is ready for full practice, and Tagovailoas return is being managed carefully, which means the Week 1 picture is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]