Amid what has been a chaotic offseason for the Atlanta Falcons, the biggest question mark that remains is centered around a possible long-term extension with Drake London. GM Ian Cunningham said in his opening presser that he valued retaining top talent, so why hasn't he put his money where his mouth is?
Time is of the essence here, as the longer Cunningham waits, the more likely it is that London hits free agency next offseason. Even though talks have gotten off to a slow start, this isn't to say that this will be another George Pickens saga, as it's no secret that Atlanta needs to bring their star WR1 back.
While addressing the media during league meetings, Cunningham revealed that an extension with London is "on top of mind" for the Falcons. I mean how can it not, if they let him walk, Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheus will be the top wideouts for Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa to throw to, and nobody wants to watch that.
The Atlanta Falcons should agree to a new contract with Drake London in the coming months
Cunningham also prefaced his statement by saying that the Dirty Birds are still focused on free agency and the upcoming draft, so perhaps talks will intensify a little closer to training camp, which is when star WR Garrett Wilson signed his long-term extension with the New York Jets last offseason.
It's also noteworthy because Cunningham mentioned London and Bijan Robinson by name, but never brought up a long-term deal with Kyle Pitts. So not only is it clear where London stands in the pecking order, it's clear that he will get his deserved payday eventually, even if it takes a bit longer to get there.
The 2022 first-round pick has been a good wide receiver across his four seasons in Atlanta, but has never taken the leap to the elite tier of guys like Ja'Marr Chase. And with the way the receiver market has been reset this offseason, it'll likely take over $30 million annually to get the job done with him.
Part of what makes London so valuable to the Falcons' offense is how bad the receiver room was without him in 2025. Not only was he Penix's favorite target, he was the only WR on the roster reliable on a consistent basis, which is why wideout has been such a priority for Cunningham this offseason. But it also proved why No. 5 deserves the contract he's asking for.
The USC product has reportedly been asking for a similar contract to someone like Wilson or DK Metcalf, and with the way the salary cap has gone up, is a worthy investment. Jaxon-Smith Njigba got over $40 million in AAV, so with the way these contracts will look, this will look like a bargain soon.
For a new regime that's been working hard to aid Penix's development, failing to extend his favorite target would be a brutal blow. All they have to do is get a deal done before next offseason to prevent London from hitting free agency, and it sure sounds like Cunningham will be able to close the deal.