The Atlanta Falcons have given fans little to be excited about amid their five-game losing streak, and it's getting hard to remain optimistic. It doesn't matter how talented this roster is, because the Dirty Birds' playoff hopes have already completely evaporated as the team sits at a dismal 0-7 on the year.
Michael Penix Jr. has been painfully inconsistent all season long, but Drake London has provided him with an uber-reliable go-to receiver. In the 30-27 Week 11 loss to the Carolina Panthers, London's seven-catch, 119-yard game saw him go over the 100 yard benchmark for the third straight game.
Fans are witnessing the 24-year-old's ascent into elite status before their eyes, which. has provided one of the only sparks for a lifeless offense. However, London will be a free agent after next season, and he's putting Terry Fontenot in a position where he'll have to back up the brinks truck to retain him.
Terry Fontenot needs to sign Drake London to a long-term extension before it's too late
Through 11 weeks of the season, the USC product has caught 60 passes for 810 yards and six touchdowns, as he still ranks fourth in the NFL in receiving yards despite missing a game. If that doesn't indicate how much offense relies on London, I don't know what else to tell you.
Let's also consider the fact that he has more receiving yards than the rest of the Falcons' receiver room combined. Yes, none of those players come even close to possessing his talent, but it goes to show you how the passing attack runs through one man and one man only.
And it's his role in Atlanta's passing attack that makes his injury so worrisome. London exited and didn't return to the game in the Week 11 loss due to a knee injury, but luckily, he isn't expected to miss any significant time—if any time at all.
Luckily, while the injury update wasn't as encouraging with Michael Penix Jr., at least London has a shot to suit up against the New Orleans Saints in Week 12. And if he doesn't, all it will do is prove how much this offense needs him out there to stabilize one of the NFL's most disappointing units.
The big concern is the Falcons' lack of cap space, but signing London to a lucrative long-term deal is imperative. He'll more than likely make over $30 million per season during his second contract, which is justified, but managing the money to get that done will be the most difficult part of this move.
With that being said, if if he's not out there, Darnell Mooney, KhaDarrel Hodge, Casey Washington, and David Sills will headline a receiver room that has no depth as is. It's just forcing ownership's hand to retain one of the most consistently elite players across the entire NFL.