The Atlanta Falcons enter a pivotal 2026 season with several core players approaching major contract decisions. One of the most important is wide receiver Drake London.
London and the team recently agreed to a fifth-year club option that will pay him $16.8 million. But that appears to be just a bridge to something bigger. An extension feels inevitable—and according to reports, it’s already a priority for new general manager Ian Cunningham.
“Cunningham has been thinking about London’s second contract since he took the job in January, and now that the draft is complete, it’s time to get it done,” Josh Kendall wrote for The Athletic.
“There’s no need for the Falcons to let him start the season on the last year of his contract. This new regime has spent its first four months on the job making conservative deals that allow for maximum flexibility in the future. Now it’s time to make the kind of move that establishes a long-term vision for the organization.”
The new regime—led by Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan—has largely avoided splashy moves so far. Instead, the focus has been on flexibility and long-term planning.
That approach makes this next decision even more telling.
Because while the Falcons haven’t spent aggressively elsewhere, it’s clear London is viewed as a foundational piece moving forward.
Drake London Could Join NFL’s Highest-Paid Receivers
Kendall believes London’s next deal could push him into the upper tier of wide receiver contracts, potentially reaching $33 million per year or more.
If that number holds, it would place him among the league’s highest-paid pass-catchers—just behind names like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb.
Still, Kendall points to a more direct player comp that could ultimately shape London’s new deal: Garrett Wilson.
“Maybe the most straightforward comp for London is the Jets’ Garrett Wilson, who was taken two spots after him in 2022,” Kendall wrote. “Wilson has more career catches than London (315 to 304), but London has more yards (3,961 to 3,644) and touchdowns (22 to 18). Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million deal last summer.
“If I were to guess at London’s new deal, I’d guess four years for $135 million, but the real number to watch will be the fully guaranteed money. Wilson’s total of $38.3 million fully guaranteed ranks just 15th among wide receivers in the league.”
For context, the top receivers in the league are securing at least $67 million fully guaranteed, with Jefferson leading the way at $88.7 million, according to Over The Cap.
That gap could be where negotiations get interesting.
Falcons Betting On Drake London Despite QB Instability
What makes London’s production even more notable is the lack of stability around him.
In four seasons, he hasn’t benefited from consistent quarterback play, playing with the likes of Kirk Cousins, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. Yet he’s still managed to produce at a high level, including a 1,000-yard, 100-catch season in 2024.
“London is the perfect player on whom to make that type of bet,” Kendall wrote. “He is 15th in the NFL in receiving yards (3,961) since being drafted eighth overall in 2022, and he’s in the top 10 in the league in the last two years in receiving touchdowns (16) and yards per game (75.5). He’s a low-maintenance player who works hard on the practice field, and he’s far and away Atlanta’s best receiver.”
At this point, it feels less like a question of if the Falcons will extend London—and more about when.
He and running back Bijan Robinson are both in line for lucrative, long-term deals, and locking them up would signal a clear direction for the franchise moving ahead.
After that, attention will inevitably shift back to the biggest unresolved issue in Atlanta: quarterback, where Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are set to draw heavy scrutiny throughout the 2026 season.
Falcons Insider Gives Drake London Contract Update With Notable Garrett Wilson Comp