Should Ravens WR Zay Flowers be Paid More Than Falcons RB Bijan Robinson???

Two contracts landed within minutes of each other, and together they make Rich's long-running argument for him better than he ever could.

Bijan Robinson got the record. A three-year extension worth up to $75 million, roughly 25 a year, with $51 million guaranteed. The most any running back has ever been given.

Zay Flowers got more. Four years, $140 million, with $108 million guaranteed.

"What are we doing?" Rich asked.

The question is not whether Flowers deserves to be paid. Baltimore paid him what the market bears for a top-end wide receiver, and Rich was explicit that he is not hating on anybody cashing in. Flowers has back-to-back thousand-yard seasons, going from 1,059 in year two to 1,211 last season.

The number underneath those is where it gets uncomfortable. Five touchdowns.

Some receivers making this kind of money have posted 14 touchdowns in a single season. Flowers has not done that across three.

Rich's case is about roster construction, and it starts with dependency. A receiver needs somebody to get him the ball, and a defense can take that away. Double Flowers. Shade the coverage to him. Lamar Jackson has to find him for any of it to matter.

A running back is standing right next to the quarterback, who can hand it to him, flip it to him, screen it to him or run him on a flat route. Scheme him properly and Bijan ends up matched on a linebacker or a slower safety.

"A defense will dictate more against a wide receiver than a running back who can run and catch it," Rich said. "I believe that's the differentiator."

There is also the timing argument, which is why he wants these deals done young. Returns start diminishing around 30 for most backs, Derrick Henry and whatever Christian McCaffrey proves this year notwithstanding. If you are that good in your mid-twenties, you have to get yours now.

Speaking of Henry, the Ravens have one of the greatest backs ever on the roster, and the protection is not shading toward him. He is making 11 million in cash this year, roughly half of Bijan's number, while first-balloting his way to Canton.

Atlanta gets credit here beyond the football. Rich noted the Falcons know there will be no two in the morning phone calls to Mr. Blank, Matt Ryan or Kevin Stefanski about Bijan, who has been a terrific face in the community.

For Detroit, this is clarifying rather than complicating. Jahmyr Gibbs now has a target on the wall, and Rich's read is that it helps.

He has watched this movie before. Baltimore struggled to figure out Lamar's contract until Jalen Hurts got paid first and a market existed. Bijan just set one.

"So guess what Gibbs will say? Pay me a penny more."

Rich figures Gibbs lands around 52 or 53 million guaranteed, which lands him back at the same absurdity. That is still less guaranteed money than a receiver with five touchdowns in a season.

Which produced the closing thought, delivered as fatherly advice.

Do not play running back. Play wide receiver. Run fast, run your routes, keep your head on a swivel over the middle, land with a good quarterback, and get paid twice what the back does.