There should be no one in Atlanta happier than Drake London right now. He just signed a four-year, $141.5 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons that'll max out at $150 million with incentives. And $100 million of that money is fully guaranteed, so yeah, he made out pretty well on a new contract.
The 24-year-old is now under contract through 2030 and is set to make $35.25 million a year now. That's a total heist for a player with no Pro Bowls, All-Pros, or playoff appearances to his name. And as weird as it sounds, he may not be the biggest winner of his new deal because of Michael Penix Jr.
Obviously London's bank account is the true winner here, but he's been at his best when Penix is the starter. And since he's entering a make-or-break season with the Falcons, having a newly-paid London Bridge at his disposal could continue the perfect recipe for a looming bounce-back season.
Michael Penix Jr. will benefit from Drake London's extension with the Falcons
The 26-year-old is coming off of a partially-torn ACL, but is ramping up in his recovery. He's been throwing since mid-March and has looked impressive in OTAs thus far. And there already have been some positive highlight plays centered around Atlanta's beloved 9-to-5 connection surfacing online.
Before both guys got hurt last season, Penix and London were the most productive QB-WR duo in the NFL, and their connection is sensational. Remember the Patriots game? Three receiving touchdowns from Penix to London, but the Falcons only lost because of a missed because of a missed extra point.
If the USC product didn't miss five games last season, he almost certainly would've cleared 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive season, as he came just short of that landmark. And it didn't help that once MPJ went down, the corpse of Kirk Cousins was the one throwing him the ball.
The Falcons finally paid their WR1, but it's also gonna put a spotlight on their young QB. The Kevin Stefanski offense is a much better fit for his skillset. He's best in a play-action offense that allows him to take shots downfield, and given London is the alpha WR1 in Atlanta, this should help him too.
Atlanta is still waiting to see if the third-year signal-caller can fend off Tua Tagovailoa in a QB battle in training camp, but odds are he starts games regardless in 2026. And when he sees the field, knowing Penix's top weapon won't be going anywhere could be the push he needs to turn his career around.
The Falcons are banking on this contract triggering London's ascent to superstardom, but to also kick Penix's career into second gear. It's time to put up or shut up, and there's only so much heavy lifting Drake London can do to extend the leash of his QB1 and fellow ex-No. 8 pick.
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