Drake London is ready to break through

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons’ receivers room is almost entirely new, starting with coach Ike Hilliard and continuing down the players.

Of the players currently on the roster, only Drake London and KhaDarel Hodge caught passes last season, while Josh Ali and Chris Blair spent the year on the practice squad. Those four are the only holdovers from the past to the present.

The Falcons entered the offseason looking to add speed around London on the perimeter, and they accomplished that mission by signing Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud, trading Rondale Moore from the Arizona Cardinals and selecting Casey Washington in the sixth round of April’s draft.

The new room has generated plenty of intrigue — and with Atlanta set to arrive for training camp on July 24, FalconsSI has previewed each position group. To read the quarterback preview, click HERE . To read the running back preview, click HERE .

Here’s what you need to know about the Falcons’ receivers room heading into the new season.

Depth chart

Holders: Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud

Reserves: Rondale Moore, KhaDarel Hodge, Casey Washington

From the outside: Josh Ali, Chris Blair, Isaiah Wooden, Austin Mack, Daylen Baldwin, Dylan Drummond, OJ Hiliare

The Biggest Questions

1. How do the new parts fit?

With uncertainty comes excitement, but also the potential for disappointment. The Falcons are counting on a return to form from Mooney, who passed 1,000 yards with the Chicago Bears in 2021, and steady production from Moore and McCloud, who have struggled with inconsistent offensive contributions.

New Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson told FalconsSI during OTAs that he expects to use more than 11 players this fall, meaning an increase in the number of receivers to three. As such, the slot receiver will have a bigger presence, giving Moore and McCloud more importance to their roles.

But both slots can be used in a variety of ways, whether on screens or as gadgets. Usage is a question, with London poised to dominate target share at receiver but the room having plenty of mouths to feed.

Training camp — particularly the 11-on-11 sessions and joint practices with the Miami Dolphins — should provide a glimpse into how it all plays out.

2. Is this the year for London to break the 1,000-yard mark – and is there room for more than one 1,000-yard receiver?

Since being selected eighth overall in the 2022 draft, London has had two productive campaigns but has yet to top the 1,000-yard mark. As a rookie, he caught 72 passes for 866 yards. In 2023, he recorded 69 receptions for 905 yards.

Will 2024 be the season London breaks the proverbial glass ceiling? With Robinson’s offense expected to be more pass-oriented than the one London has played in thus far and the arrival of four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins, London’s arrow is pointing upward.

But can an increase in passing attempts and a new passer help more than one 1,000-yard receiver? Mooney already reached the 1,055-yard mark three seasons ago, but over the next two seasons, he’s had 907 yards.

During OTAs and minicamp, Mooney has been the Falcons’ No. 2 receiver. He’s found chemistry with Cousins, and with a fresh start in Atlanta, the 26-year-old could be on track for another season in 2024 — though 1,000 is a lofty number.

3. Who wins the slot machine job?

Heading into OTAs, Moore was expected to start in the slot; he’s historically been a more productive receiver than McCloud, who was largely a return specialist with the San Francisco 49ers.

But during OTAs and minicamp, McCloud often took the first-team snaps, and Moore missed a week of OTAs with a hamstring injury. McCloud also has a long history with Hilliard, who was his receivers coach from 2020-21 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and head coach Raheem Morris, who coached him before the 2018 draft.

As such, McCloud appears to have a slight advantage — but the depth chart gets more serious once training camp begins, and the battle between him and Moore only seems to intensify.

Extracurricular activities

The Falcons have a lot of confidence in Washington, who started out as an OTA with the third and fourth teams but got opportunities with the first and second teams shortly after. Washington played the best ball of his college career late in his career and is considered a player on the rise.

Under former head coach Arthur Smith, Atlanta had five receivers on its 53-man roster in 2023. The quartet of London, Mooney, Moore and McCloud should be considered safe, and Washington appears safe. Hodge is the Falcons’ best shooter and another safe bet on the roster.

As such, the Falcons appear likely to have six receivers on the roster this fall, a notable change under Morris.

The room extends beyond those six players, and Hilliard mentioned Blair as a standout during OTAs. Blair, Wooden and Ali are practice squad candidates, with the preseason potentially dictating their futures in Atlanta.

The Falcons will hold two open workouts this fall, one on July 27 and one on August 2. Additional information on the schedule, location and tickets is available HERE. For the Atlanta training camp schedule, click HERE.