Now that the Atlanta Falcons have cut Darnell Mooney, most of the attention is surrounding what comes next. They'll do their homework on this crop of free agent wideouts, but since the Falcons aren't exactly flush with cash, Ian Cunningham should be shifting his attention to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The name of the game now is surrounding Drake London with young, explosive receivers who can help Michael Penix Jr. turn a corner in Year 2. But given London and Casey Washington are the only two receivers Atlanta has under contract, it makes an extension with London all the more important.
Having some youngsters on rookie contracts will make it much easier for the Dirty Birds to sign the 24-year-old to a lucrative long-term extension, especially since they'll be making a fraction of what Mooney was for what most fans can assume will be more consistent production alongside London.
However, that doesn't mean that extending him still isn't a priority. So far, there has been a gap in negotiations between the two parties, but now that the rest of the receiver room is basically being gutted from the ground up by the new regime, it confirms his astronomical impact on this offense.
With Darnell Mooney gone, extending Drake London will become all the more important
This is not to say that the WR position won't be a major point of emphasis for Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski this offseason, but that starts and ends with London. The 2022 first-round pick has quietly been one of the most consistent receivers in football, but suffered through an injury-riddled 2025.
Even still, when he's healthy, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that he's the Falcons' go-to option in the passing game. The rapport between London and Penix is part of it, especially since he emerged as his security blanket this past season, but Kirk Cousins also relied on Drake when he was starting.
Part of why he was so important was because of the state of the rest of the WR room, but the target share he commanded was just as much about trust. The Falcons clearly trust him to shoulder the load of WR1 responsibilities, which is why London is so adamant that he deserves to be paid as such.
On a new contract, the USC product will more than likely command over $30 million per year, especially with how the receiver market is expected to shake out once free agency begins with players like Alec Pierce and Wan'Dale Robinson expected to get nearly $25 million on an annual basis.
He may not be extended this week or once free agency begins, but definitely expect a deal to materialize in the coming weeks or months before the start of the season.