The Atlanta Falcons have been busy this offseason, but even with training camp underway, there is still some work that needs to be done. Perhaps the most important item of business that needs to be taken care of involves signing star running back Bijan Robinson a new contract extension before Week 1 rolls around.
While Robinson has reported to training camp, he has not practiced as he stages a hold-in. This sort of move isn’t much of a surprise considering how productive Robinson has been, but it has put the pressure on the front office to get a deal done. On Saturday morning, the team announced that it had signed a key player to a $96 million contract extension, but that player ended up being offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron, not Robinson.
Falcons Sign Matthew Bergeron to Four-Year, $96 Million Contract Extension
Robinson is certainly deserving of a new deal, but he wasn’t the only key player the Falcons’ front office needed to take care of. Bergeron, who was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, was also due for a new deal, and with only one year left on his rookie contract, you can make an argument that this was more pressing than Robinson’s situation.
Right from the get-go, Bergeron emerged as a starter along Atlanta’s offensive line, and he has never looked back. While he has spent time at several spots, Bergeron appears to have found a home at left guard, which is his primary position. Bergeron has been one of the most consistent interior linemen in the league over the past three years, as he’s only missed two games so far in his career.
The going rate for young offensive linemen is quite high, and Atlanta knew it needed to get something done with Bergeron before the start of the season. That led to the front office handing him a four-year, $96 million deal that has $60 million in guaranteed money, solidifying Bergeron as a key piece of the team’s future plans.
“The Falcons and G Matthew Bergeron have agreed to terms on a four-year, $96 million contract extension, sources tell me and Jeremy Fowler,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “The 38th overall pick in 2023 gets $60 million guaranteed in a deal done by Chase Callahan of excel football.”
Falcons Turn Attention to Bijan Robinson After Locking Up Matthew Bergeron
GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 29: Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons scores a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
While this may be a bit of an expensive deal for Bergeron, the Falcons have done well to lock him up, and if he can stay healthy and continue to improve, it will look like a bargain in a couple of years. And yet, Atlanta can’t afford to celebrate for too long, because Robinson is still in need of a new contract himself.
Robinson is good enough of a player where him not practicing isn’t a major concern, but the longer this hold-in lingers, the bigger of a distraction this will become for the team as a whole. Bergeron’s win is a deal for both sides, but at the end of the day, it’s going to put an even bigger spotlight on the team’s negotiations with Robinson.
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