ESPN analyst says former Falcons RB is 'interesting trade candidate'

The Atlanta Falcons did not re-sign running back Tyler Allgeier in free agency, instead signing veteran Brian Robinson Jr. to back up Bijan Robinson in 2026. Allgeier, a former fifth-round pick out of BYU, landed a two-year, $12.25 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.

However, Allgeier soon found himself in a similar situation to the one he departed in Atlanta. The Cardinals selected Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love third overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, and by doing so, significantly limited Allgeier’s potential upside on his new team.

Allgeier will now have to compete with Love, James Conner and Trey Benson for carries in Arizona. ESPN ranked the Cardinals’ running back unit as the NFL’s most improved position group heading into 2026. ESPN’s Ben Solak went on to suggest that Allgeier could be traded due to Arizona’s logjam at running back.

“With the drafting of Love, Allgeier becomes an interesting trade candidate,” wrote Solak before listing a few possible teams. “Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving is out for the summer and potentially into the fall with lingering shoulder issues. And the Jaguars‘ RB room, featuring Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr., is still mighty thin. If the Cardinals want to trade Allgeier, despite signing him to a multiyear free agent contract just months ago, they should have suitors.”

The Falcons saw what Allgeier could do in a lead-back role during his rookie year in 2022. He rushed for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry. Atlanta still couldn’t resist taking Bijan with the eighth overall pick in 2023, though, and the rest is history.

Allgeier is just 26 years old, and considering what he’s shown as a No. 1 RB, it wouldn’t surprise us if someone targets him in a trade. The young power-back received under 150 carries in 2024 and 2025. Since entering the league in 2022, Allgeier has rushed for 2,876 yards and 18 touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier named trade target by ESPN