Jahmyr Gibbs is about to become the highest paid running back in the NFL. That is the read after the Lions running back showed up to practice this week in full pads and helmet after previously staying inside the facility while his agent worked on a contract extension.
Gibbs, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Detroit has been trying to get a long-term extension done all summer, and multiple reports out of Allen Park say the two sides are very close. The expected structure is a three-year extension in the range of $22.5 to $23 million per year, which would push Gibbs past Bijan Robinson’s $22.25 million per year average.
The market is moving fast at the position. Bijan Robinson signed his three-year, $66.75 million extension with the Falcons on Wednesday. Jonathan Taylor got a two-year, $44 million extension from the Colts. The two-decade narrative that teams should never pay running backs has been quietly rewritten in the last 12 months.
Gibbs is the perfect example of why the old rule no longer applies. He does not just run. He catches out of the backfield. He returns kicks. He turns three-yard checkdowns into 40-yard scoring plays. In 2025 he racked up 1,412 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns splitting carries with David Montgomery. He is the most efficient offensive player on a team that led the NFC North.
The Lions know what they have. Dan Campbell has said publicly that Gibbs is a top priority. Ownership has been aggressive with extensions across the roster, locking up Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and Jared Goff in recent years. Locking up Gibbs is the natural next step.
There is a real football argument to be made that Gibbs is the best pure playmaker on the Lions offense. Goff and St. Brown will get the credit. Sewell will get the Hall of Fame push. But Gibbs is the guy who breaks the game open. His combination of speed and vision is rare, and he is still on the front end of his prime.
The one thing to watch is guarantees. Robinson’s deal has $51 million guaranteed with $37 million at signing. Gibbs’ camp will want to match or beat those numbers. Detroit has cap flexibility, and there is no reason to nickel and dime this negotiation. Pay the guy and move on.
What this also does is put pressure on other franchises with young workhorse backs. Kyren Williams. James Cook. Isiah Pacheco. Every young back with a case to make just watched Gibbs, Robinson, and Taylor cash in. The market is only going up from here.
For Detroit, this is about keeping their core together for another Super Bowl push. This team was 15-2 in 2024 and did not fall off nearly as much in 2025 as the narrative suggests. Add Gibbs to a locked-in offensive line and the same passing game, and this is a legitimate NFC contender in 2026. The Gibbs extension is the last big piece before Sunday football starts.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
