EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNew Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said at his opening news conference in February that he wants the organizational principle to be "draft, develop, retain."This offseason has put the emphasis on the latter -- retain -- perhaps more than any other offseason in franchise history.The Falcons signed All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson to a three-year contract extension Tuesday worth up to $75 million that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. It was the latest big-money deal in a whirlwind two months in Atlanta.On June 8, the Falcons penned wide receiver Drake London to a four-year, $141 million extension. Three weeks later, tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. was extended for three years and $54 million. And then, last Saturday, the Falcons upped the ante, extending left guard Matthew Bergeron for four years and $96 million.That's about $366 million put on the books over the past eight weeks. And a major signal that Cunningham, new coach Kevin Stefanski and new president of football Matt Ryan will build the future of the team around this young offensive core.Robinson is 24 years old. Pitts is still only 25, the same age as London. Bergeron is 26. That group will now likely remain together for at least the next three seasons, all with market-impacting deals.There are few surface questions about why the Falcons re-signed all four. Robinson is arguably the best running back in the NFL. He led the league in scrimmage yards (2,298) last season. Pitts was the second most productive tight end in the NFL last season after Trey McBride. London has consistently been a top-10-level receiver despite a revolving door at quarterback. Bergeron has been a starter since his first game.However, there is one extremely valid inquiry: Does it make sense to commit all that money to three skill players and an interior lineman when the future is very much uncertain at quarterback?Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall pick in 2024, is still working his way back after right ACL surgery last November. He has not yet been cleared for 11-on-11 team sessions in practice. The Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa to a bargain deal -- one year, $1.3 million -- in the offseason to compete with Penix for the starting job. Tagovailoa himself has been dealing with a tight back and has been limited thus far in practice.The Falcons are hoping that one of the two emerges as the clear starter this month, though neither has gotten anywhere close to enough reps in practice to bear that out.If Atlanta gets good quarterback play this season, it has the offensive players and a good enough defense to win the NFC South. That is an annual hope for a team that has not made the playoffs nor had a winning record in nine seasons. Since Ryan was traded in 2022, the Falcons have had five starting quarterbacks: Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke, Kirk Cousins and Penix. If Tagovailoa wins the starting job, the Falcons will have their sixth different Week 1 starter in as many seasons.Looking beyond this season, the Falcons will have Penix under contract for the 2027 season and then his fifth-year option season in 2028 if the team picks it up. At some point, a decision must be made on if the organization believes Penix can still be a franchise quarterback, but there is still a time to figure that out.If Tagovailoa wins the starting job and shows out, then the Falcons will have to make a big decision much sooner, because Tagovailoa is not under contract past 2026 and an impressive season will up his asking price considerably. Perhaps more than the Falcons would be willing to commit to given his past inconsistency.In any case, what the Falcons have done with extending this very good offensive core is give whoever ends up being the quarterback -- this year and in the future -- the best possible chance at success.
