The Falcons will once again enter the 2025 season with one of the leagues best running back tandems.

Will McFadden

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. The Falcons will once again enter the 2025 season with one of the league's best running back tandems.

Let's take a closer look at the expectations for Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and the rest of Atlanta's backfield heading into training camp.

More position previews:Quarterbacks

Running back

Position coaches:Michael Pitre

Returning starters:Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier

Notable newcomers:N/A

Rest of the roster:Nathan Carter, Jashaun Corbin, Elijah Dotson

Offseason departures:Jase McClellan, Avery Williams

3 key questions for the Falcons' running backs

1. Can Bijan achieve that "Saquon-like" season?

After Robinson's breakout season last year, where he ranked fourth among all players with 1,887 total yards, it's tantalizing to imagine what else he could accomplish. With just two years under his belt, Robinson has proven to be one of the most elusive players on the ground and picks up chunks of yards at a high clip.

Next on the list for the third-year superstar is extending his runs just a bit farther. Robinson's longest run last year was 37 yards, while the league's other top backs had far longer carries. Robinson and the Falcons coaching staff say they've been working to increase the number of explosive plays this offseason, which could be a crucial part of their plans to move the offense forward in Year 2 under Zac Robinson.

"We all want it. We're all waiting for that Saquon type of season when it comes to explosives," Robinson said. "But I've been working on it a lot this offseason. And, obviously, when it gets to the season, it's time to go show it and go do the work the right way."

2. What do the Falcons envision for Allgeier in final contract year?

The last two seasons, the Falcons have had one of the NFL's best rushing duos and that's thanks to the presence of Allgeier. After bursting onto the scene with one of the best rookie seasonsin team history, Allgeier has continued to be a formidable player for defenses while splitting time with Robinson.

Most of Allgeier's work has come after halftime when the Falcons turn to him to salt the game away or roll through a tired defense. According to TruMedia, 86 of his 137 carries and 410 of his 644 rushing yards last season came in the second half of games. At 25 years old, Allgeier now enters the final year of his rookie contract. Will that change how the Falcons deploy him, and will they seek to get him on the field more often this fall?

1. Will outside zone continue to dominate?

Atlanta had the second-most rush attempts outside of the tackle box in 2024, running to the outside on early 68% of their run plays, according to Next Gen Stats. This is consistent with what their offense was under previous head coach Arthur Smith, as the Falcons ran the most outside run plays in the league in both 2023 and 2022.

That could speak more to the comfort of Atlanta's offensive line with an outside scheme, and it's notable that offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford first joined the Falcons with Smith. He has worked with Zac Robinson to marry his run game to the new offense, but it will be interesting to see how and if that evolves this year.

Consider the Rams' offensive development the last few years. In 2021, they ran outside the tackles on 57% of their run plays. The next year, that dropped to 53% as Los Angeles began to incorporate more of an inside gap scheme and power run game. In 2023 they favored inside runs slightly more than outside runs, and, last year, the Rams had the second-highest percentage of inside run plays in the league at 57%.

So, why does that matter for Atlanta? Well, outside run plays do often take longer to develop and the flow of the defense can make it hard for a runner to go the distance, even if he does make a few defenders miss. However, a well-blocked inside run gives the ballcarrier the straightest possible path to the end zone. If Bijan Robinson and the Falcons desire to improve their number of explosive runs in 2025, a greater does of inside carries could be one solution.

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