Jonathan Taylor just got a little more leverage in his contract push, and he didn’t have to do a thing.
The ripple came from Atlanta, where Bijan Robinson landed an extension from the Falcons worth three years and as much as $75 million, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter. That deal carries an average annual salary of $25 million, which is now the highest ever for an NFL running back.
For Taylor and the Colts, that number matters. Taylor is under contract through the 2026 season and wants a new extension of his own. Robinson’s deal gives his camp a fresh benchmark, and Indianapolis can’t lean on the age argument too hard either, since Robinson is 24 and Taylor is 27.
Robinson absolutely earned his payday. He’s been a force and one of the league’s most complete backs. But the point here is simple: Taylor has a case to ask for the same kind of money, if not more.
If the Colts were thinking about avoiding this headache, that window may already have passed. General manager Chris Ballard could have handled an extension this past offseason, before other young backs like Robinson and the Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs reset the market around the position. Gibbs could wind up making more than Robinson, which only adds another layer to Taylor’s negotiations.
Gibbs has played three seasons, led the league in touchdowns with 20 in 2024, and had 18 the year before. He has two seasons with at least 1,223 rushing yards and 1,839 total yards, with a best of 1,412 rushing yards. Like Robinson, he’s 24.
Robinson’s résumé is just as loud. He has two seasons out of three with at least 1,456 rushing yards, topped by 1,478 in 2025, and he led the NFL with 2,298 total yards. He also scored 11 touchdowns after posting 15 the previous year.
Taylor’s numbers make the argument even stronger. He has three seasons with at least 1,431 rushing yards, including a peak of 1,811. He has led the league in total touchdowns twice with 20, including last season, and he put up 2,171 total yards in 2021.
That’s why Robinson’s deal lands as such a meaningful data point for Indianapolis. If Robinson can command $25 million per year, Taylor can certainly walk into his next negotiation asking for that same kind of money.
If he reaches free agency next year, someone will pay it. The Colts just have to hope they’re the ones who do.
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