Drake London signs $141M deal with Falcons, becoming third highest-paid receiver in NFL: reports

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London tin present telephone himself 1 of the highest-paid players successful franchise history.

The Falcons and their apical receiver person reportedly travel to presumption connected a four-year, $141 cardinal woody with $100 cardinal guaranteed, according to ESPN. The woody tin besides scope $150 cardinal with incentives.

At $35.25 cardinal per year, London would go the NFL's third-highest-paid receiver. Only the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who signed a record-breaking $168.8 cardinal hold 1 period aft helping his squad triumph Super Bowl LX, and the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase, who agreed to a $161 cardinal woody successful March 2025, would gain more.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London reacts aft catching a touchdown walk against the Kansas City Chiefs during the archetypal 4th astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, Ga., connected Sept. 22, 2024.

London, 24, was the Falcons’ first-round prime of the 2022 NFL Draft retired of USC, and helium has earned that draught slot aft hauling successful 309 receptions for 3,961 yards and 22 touchdowns crossed 4 seasons.

He was coming into this play connected his fifth-year option, but the Falcons volition not beryllium playing that crippled with a cornerstone piece.

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However, they won’t beryllium done shelling retired monolithic deals, and London’s prima violative teammate, moving backmost Bijan Robinson, mightiness bash much than conscionable beryllium 1 of the highest-paid players successful franchise history.

Robinson cemented himself arsenic 1 of the elite moving backs successful the NFL crossed conscionable 3 seasons with Atlanta. Last season, helium tallied a league-leading 2,298 scrimmage yards (1,478 rushing, 820 receiving, with 11 full touchdowns). He earned himself his archetypal All-Pro honor, and there’s apt much to travel for the shifty Texas product.

Philadelphia Eagles' Saquon Barkley is the highest-paid moving backmost successful the NFL astatine $20.6 cardinal per year, but Robinson could crush that fig depending connected what helium and the Falcons perchance hold to. It doesn’t person to travel this year, but it’s surely connected the horizon.

Drake London of the Atlanta Falcons reacts aft scoring a touchdown during the archetypal 4th against the New Orleans Saints astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta connected Jan. 4, 2026. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Falcons already picked up Robinson’s fifth-year enactment for the 2027 season.

As for London, the Falcons person a large determination to marque heading into the 2026 season: determining who volition beryllium their starting quarterback. Whoever wins the occupation volition beryllium tasked with getting the shot to London and the remainder of Atlanta's walk catchers, including choky extremity Kyle Pitts Sr., who volition play the play connected the franchise tag.

While Michael Penix Jr., who partially tore his ACL successful his near genu past season, remains connected the roster, the Falcons signed different lefty, erstwhile Miami Dolphins prima Tua Tagovailoa, to springiness him immoderate contention successful grooming campy this summer.

Inconsistency astatine the backmost presumption is what London and his teammates person had to woody with since helium entered the league, with the likes of Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinecke, and Marcus Mariota taking turns arsenic the team’s starter earlier Kirk Cousins signed his monolithic three-year woody with Atlanta.

Drake London of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates aft a drawback during the archetypal fractional against the Buffalo Bills astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, Ga., connected Oct. 13, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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London’s champion twelvemonth was successful 2024 erstwhile helium was Cousins’ wide apical target, hauling successful 100 of his 158 targets for a career-high 1,271 with 9 touchdowns. However, Cousins didn’t clasp connected to his starting role, arsenic Penix took implicit arsenic the Week 1 starter. Once helium sustained his injury, Cousins had to travel in, and yet London inactive astir reached 1,000 yards.

With a caller beforehand bureau successful place, led by Falcons fable and President of Football Matt Ryan, it's wide the squad is committed to retaining its young halfway arsenic it tries to instrumentality to playoff contention successful the wide-open NFC South.

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