Latest On Contract Talks For RBs Jahymr Gibbs, Jonathan Taylor

An important domino in the running back market fell on Tuesday, as Falcons RB Bijan Robinson inked a huge deal that meaningfully moved the market forward at the position following years of stagnation. 

That deal was expected to pave the way for Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs and Colts RB Jonathan Taylor to get new deals. However, it might not be so simple.

Pro Football Talk notes there’s buzz Robinson’s deal might not move things forward for the Lions and Gibbs if his camp believes it didn’t reset the market enough. 

Robinson’s three-year deal is worth $22.25 million per year as a base value with a maximum of $25 million annually. The previous high water mark was $20.6 million. 

Even though Robinson reset the RB market, PFT explains that Gibbs’ camp may feel that it still doesn’t reflect how valuable players like Gibbs and Robinson are to an offense despite their position. 

Lions HC Dan Campbell said Robinson’s deal is “certainly not gonna hurt” negotiations and he’s eager to get Gibbs back in practice, as he’s been holding in while talks continue. 

As for Taylor, he’s older than both Gibbs and Robinson and that’s especially a consideration given the position he plays. Pro Football Talk reported there’s “talk” that Taylor and the Colts are discussing a two-year extension.

He’s in the final year of a deal he signed in 2023 worth $14 million per year, so he was visibly intrigued to hear the news of Robinson’s deal on Tuesday. 

Gibbs, 24, transferred to Alabama after two seasons at Georgia Tech and was a starter in his final two college seasons. He earned second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC in 2022. 

The Lions selected Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was entering the final year of a four-year, $19,168,040 contract that included a $10,940,393 signing bonus when the Lions exercised his fifth-year option worth $14.293 million fully guaranteed for the 2027 season.

In 2025, Gibbs appeared in all 17 games for the Lions and rushed 243 times for 1,223 yards (5.0 YPC) and 13 touchdowns, adding 77 catches on 94 targets for 616 yards and five touchdowns. 

Taylor, 27, is a former second-round pick of the Colts back in 2020 out of Wisconsin. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $7,829,150 rookie contract with the Colts that included a $3,253,928 signing bonus when Indianapolis signed Taylor to a three-year, $42 million contract extension that included $26.5 million guaranteed.

He’s set to make a base salary of $11.98 million in 2026, the final year of that deal. 

In 2025, Taylor appeared in all 17 games for the Colts and recorded 323 rushing attempts for 1,585 yards (4.9 YPC) and 18 touchdowns, to go along with 46 receptions for 378 yards (8.2 YPC) and two touchdowns. 

We’ll have more on Gibbs and Taylor as the news becomes available.