Falcons' Drake London gets $41 million contract update challenging Ja'Marr Chase

The NFL's salary rankings sometimes don't feel real.

As the salary cap itself rises, it skews everything. And that's why there's a suggestion that Falcons wideout Drake London could exceed Ja'Marr Chase's record-setting wide receiver contract ($40.5 million per year.

Here's how NFL.com's Anthony Holzman-Escareno explained it in a recent article:

"It’s hard for any receiver this side of Justin Jefferson to make a case to be paid higher than Chase. However, as the salary cap continues to grow, players will challenge Chase for the top average annual salary. As the pie gets bigger so do the slices."

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London's payday that is likely coming in the next year-plus may also be impacted by the aforementioned Jefferson, who could raise the market again.

And maybe the Falcons and London would end up arriving just below the Chase number at a nice even $40 million per year.

But London has done enough to this point to be expected as a large contract.

"London emerged as a star in his third season with the Falcons, finishing with 1,271 receiving yards in 2024 (fourth-most in the league)," Holzman-Escareno wrote. "London was one of the league’s dominant intermediate threats, joining Ja’Marr Chase as the only receivers with 600-plus yards on targets in the 10–19 yard range, per NGS. London also had 67 first-down grabs in 2024, trailing only Chase (75) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (73). 

"If the start of the Michael Penix Jr. era is any indication, London might be going to the moon in 2025. He averaged 117.3 receiving yards per game in Penix’s three starts last season, the most by any starting QB-receiver duo in the NFL (minimum three starts). His 6-foot-4 frame and basketball background make him an elite jump ball threat -- his 40 contested catches over the last two seasons lead the NFL, per PFF."

The Penix factor is an important one, as well. The Falcons will want to keep their young QB's top target around.

Penix is also relatively cheap since he's on a rookie contract, which makes some more space to shell out big dollars elsewhere. London could be the beneficiary.

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