The Atlanta Falcons made a major effort to improve the defense in the NFL Draft, adding a defensive player with their first four picks. They wanted to add some serious juice to that side of the ball to help out the offense.
One of the biggest producers offensively is receiver Drake London, but the Falcons haven't made a decision on his fifth-year option, and the deadline is on May 1st. Eight of the top ten picks have been picked up, and one player's decision has been declined.
General manager Terry Fontenot was recently asked about it and how he'll handle that. Fontenot said, "Well, we haven't. We'll keep those discussions private, but you know how we feel about Drake. He's a stud and stud on the field. He's everything we're about... Just like we're talking about being obsessed with the game."
Falcons Have Yet to Pick Up Drake London’s Fifth Year Option
The fact that the Falcons haven't made the easy choice to pick up London's fifth-year option is interesting but it doesn't mean they won't. He's their best playmaker by a sizable margin. In 50 career games for Atlanta, London finished with 241 receptions (385 targets) for 3,042 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
Atlanta knows they want him around for the long haul but they need to pick up his option as soon as possible. Failing to have him locked through the 2026 season would be a colossal mistake.
Fellow first-round receivers Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams all had their options picked up and get one step closer to a possible extension.
The WR market continues to jump up whenever an elite receiver lands a new deal. Ja'Marr Chase is No. 1, making $40.2 million a year. Behind him, there are seven receivers making at least $30 million a year.
The number will continue to rise, and if the Falcons' situation with London doesn't get better, teams around the league will certainly call to check his availability.