NFL Trade Proposal Sends Falcons Valuable Draft Capital for Non-Starter

The Atlanta Falcons have great running back depth with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. But should they keep both running backs for the 2025 season?

Obviously, Robinson isn't going anywhere. But on Thursday, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski included Allgeier on a list of players that need a fresh start.

Sobleski proposed the Falcons trade Allgeier for a 2026 third-round pick.

"Bijan Robinson is the present and future of the Falcons' ground game. After the 2025 campaign, the 23-year-old will become eligible for an extension. Meanwhile, Allgeier is entering the final year of his rookie contract," wrote Sobleski.

"Allgeier has no incentive to sign an extension with the Falcons since he could go elsewhere and potentially become a starting option. His workhorse ability is being wasted behind Robinson.

"Atlanta did use a sixth-round pick last year to select Alabama's Jase McClellan, who could see an increased role if the Falcons flip Allgeier to another team before this year's trade deadline."

With such a trade, Sobleski concluded that the Falcons could begin to recoup the 2026 draft capital the team parted with to move up multiple times during the 2025 NFL Draft.

That's certainly true. The Falcons only have five draft picks next spring and don't have a first-round selection. Trading Allgeier for a third-rounder would also be great value.

If the Falcons believe in Jase McClellan's long-term development, moving on from Allgeier now could make sense from a long-term perspective.

It makes less sense, though, when one considers why Atlanta parted with the 2026 draft capital in the first place -- the team wants to win now. Although he's a No. 2 running back, Allgeier still has a current role in Atlanta. Last season, he ran for 644 yards with three touchdowns and caught 13 passes.

Robinson has been remarkably healthy, but if a bad hit sidelines him for an extended period this fall, the Falcons need Allgeier to help their young, inexperienced quarterback.

It's also not clear Allgeier would really fetch a third-round pick on the trade market. The Dallas Cowboys only had to send a third-rounder (and exchange Day 3 2027 draft picks) for wide receiver George Pickens.

Yes, Pickens was a headache player while Allgeier isn't. But from a talent perspective, it wouldn't make much sense for these two players to be worth the same on the trade market.

Allgeier is likely worth more to the Falcons for what he could provide the team in 2025 than the draft capital the Falcons could receive in return from a trade.