Ex-general manager of the Atlanta Falcons Terry Fontenot didn't get everything right, but he found a superstar in Drake London. The former first-round draft pick, like the rest of the organization, is coming off a bit of a down year in 2025. He failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, largely due to a mid-season injury. Still, he's more than proven himself worthy of keeping around for the long haul.
Heading into his fifth season, London is eligible for a contract extension. His next deal may not reset the wide receiver market, but it will be one of the most expensive on Atlanta's books.
If the Falcons don't reach an agreement with their star receiver soon, they risk seeing his price tag rise out of control.
Falcons' Drake London contract extension is more urgent than it seems
While he was the first off the board, London isn't the only talented wide receiver to come out of the 2022 NFL Draft class. The first round alone produced wideouts like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams.
Wilson and Williams have already been paid. Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million extension with the New York Jets, and Williams inked a three-year, $83 million deal with the Detroit Lions.
NFL contracts are often dictated by deals similar players have signed. Top-end stars will use the contracts of players at their position as baseline numbers to work from. So when one receiver signs a big deal, others raise their asking prices.
London won't be the highest-paid receiver in the league, but he should earn a major payday. Spotrac currently estimates that his market value is around $32.6 million per year. That would make him the sixth-highest paid receiver in the NFL.
But if the Falcons wait until after Olave signs his new deal, they could see London's number go up. The two receivers are projected to make about the same amount on their next contracts, so whoever signs last will likely be paid more. It's the most expensive game of "chicken" out there.
Atlanta can't afford to wait around. With other stars needing to be paid soon, the roster is about to get much more expensive than it already is. The team has operated with cost-controlled talent at key skill positions for years, but that luxury is about to disappear. Each week the Falcons wait to sign London could be costing them significant salary cap space.
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