As the Atlanta Falcons enter training camp, one unlikely position that will see a battle for roster spots is the running back corps.
Atlanta has a clear star in the backfield with Bijan Robinson, who is coming off a second-year campaign in 2024 that featured 1,456 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, and another TD through the air on 431 receiving yards. However, behind Robinson is where the real fight will take place at Flowery Branch.
While Tyler Allgieger has a clear hold on the second-string running back role after a 2024 season that saw him rush for 644 yards and three touchdowns, the remaining spots are still very much up in the air. Garrett Chapman of Sports Illustrated predicts the Falcons will carry three running backs and thinks Jashaun Corbin to be the third. With the additions of Elijah Dotson and rookie Nate Carter, along with returning practice squad player Carlos Washington Jr., the regular-season roster spot is no guarantee for Corbin.
Falcons RB Jashaun Corbin's Days in Atlanta Are Numbered
In what seems like a four-way battle for one coveted roster spot, the ability to adjust to the offensive system being implemented will prove crucial to whichever backfield artist ultimately finds themselves in that role. With the new system of Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson behind head coach Raheem Morris taking full effect, Corbin will be looking to impress to gain a foothold on a pivotal roster spot.
Corbin, who signed a 1-year $960,000 contract with the Falcons in the offseason, entered the league as an undrafted free agent following a college career that saw him first play for Texas A&M before finishing with Florida State. Corbin's final college season in Tallahassee was his most productive, where he rushed for 887 yards and seven touchdowns.
Corbin spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the New York Giants, where he saw little playing time in his career, appearing in only six games in ’23, where he had 1 rushing yard on one rush, and 12 receiving yards on three catches.
It remains to be seen what the HC Morris and the Falcons will do with the competition at running back behind Robinson and Allgeier, but for Corbin, the struggle remains an uphill battle if he wants to keep a place on the team.