Drake London was a late inactive for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, and the offense looked competely dysfunctional without him. The dismal 34-10 defeat saw the Miami Dolphins stack the box, keeping Bijan Robinson in check since they weren't threatened by any of Atlanta's depth receivers in his absence.
While some of the offensive ineptitude can be attributed to Kirk Cousins' pathetic performance in place of Michael Penix Jr., it was clear the Dirty Birds missed London. And the dismal receiver room is making it clear that Terry Fontenot needs to keep the 24-year-old in Atlanta for the forseeable future.
Luckily, London is under contract with the team through 2026 after his fifth-year option was picked up. However, he's eligible for a long-term deal, and if Fontenot waits any longer to put pen to paper, it could cost the Falcons millions.
Terry Fontenot needs to offer Drake London a blank check
Week 8 made it crystal clear that Darnell Mooney and Casey Washington don't hold a candle to the USC product. All four Falcons' receivers who recorded a catch combined for less than 100 receiving yards against a porous Miami pass defense, so it makes retaining London that much more important.
The California native amassed over 1,200 receiving yards and nine scores last season, but has been inconsistent in 2025 due to the poor play-calling. Penix has targeted him early and often, and entered the week near the top of the league in yards once again.
However, something Fontenot need to monitor is the wide receiver market. It will likely cost over $30 million per season to sign London to an extension, as both DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, and Garrett Wilson all received lucrative deals that were north of $32 million per year this offseason.
10 wideouts make $30+ million in 2025, and it's insanely difficult to argue that London isn't a top-10 receiver. While it would be shocking to see him break the bank like Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase, it won't be cheap to retain the franchise cornerstone—but that doesn't mean you don't sign anyways.
Atlanta's offense has a lot of work it needs to do, but moving on from their WR1 for budgetary reasons would be the latest instance of mismangement from ownership. Robinson is also eligible for an extension, and Fontenot must stop at nothing to ensure they continue to suit up in red and black.