Falcons rebuilt WR room behind ‘dog’ Drake London. Who steps up?

Since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2022, London has been the Falcons’ unquestioned top wideout. Now entering his fifth year as a pro, the 25-year-old is becoming a potent leader, too.

“He’s a dog,” Branch said. “He’s a great human being and a great player as well, and I just love the way he carries himself. He always gives me tips, things that he learned throughout his career and stuff like that. So, I’m always trying to piggyback on him.”

London, who signed a four-year, $141 million contract in June, is the focal point of the Falcons’ passing attack. But last season, the burden, at least among the team’s receivers, was too heavily on him.

Darnell Mooney, with 32 catches for 443 yards and one touchdown`, was the Falcons’ second-best receiver. David Sills V, who tallied 18 grabs for 191 yards and two scores, finished as the only other wideout with more than seven receptions.

The theme of the Falcons’ offseason centered around adding depth across the board — elevating the floor, as GM Ian Cunningham says — and their receiving corps enters this fall in better shape than it ended last year.

In addition to drafting Branch, the Falcons inked former first-round pick Jahan Dotson to a two-year, $15 million contract and reunited with veteran Olamide Zaccheaus on a two-year, $4.5 million deal.

“I feel like we got a lot of guys who can make plays,” Dotson said during minicamp. “A lot of guys are showing up. Obviously, you guys know the capability of Drake, but I feel like the staff here has done a good job of putting a lot of pieces around him.

“I feel like we got a good group in the receiving room — a lot of guys who can make plays and a lot of guys who can do a bunch of different things.”

The Falcons also ask less of their receivers than most teams. Running back Bijan Robinson ranked second at his position last season in target share at 19.8%, according to SumerSports, while Kyle Pitts was third among tight ends at 22.7%.

Robinson and Pitts will be central pieces to the aerial attack once more, and London, who caught 68 passes for 919 yards and seven touchdowns in only 12 games last season, returns as the headliner.

But do the Falcons have enough elsewhere? Here’s a deeper look at the team’s receivers before players arrive for training camp July 28 in Flowery Branch.

Depth chart

Starters: Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus

Backups: Zachariah Branch, Dylan Drummond

Notable departures

Biggest questions

1. Opportunity arrives for Jahan Dotson. Can he deliver?

Two years ago, Dotson was an ascending young receiver poised for a breakthrough in his third season with the Washington Commanders. But after being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in late August, Dotson settled for a reserve role as, at best, the team’s No. 3 wideout.

Dotson said this summer it was a maturing experience for him. The 2022 first-round pick also had a front-row seat to learn the mindset and preparation of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who comprised one of the best receiving duos in the NFL.

All told, Dotson feels all of it — the frustration of being traded, the lessons learned, the experience banked — prepared him for the chance to start at receiver for the Falcons.

The 26-year-old Dotson set career highs with 523 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, while his 49 receptions in 2023 remain a personal best. He’ll get to start opposite London, who will draw significant attention, with a chance to revive his career.

How much the Falcons ultimately lean on Dotson, their No. 4 target, is a question on its own. But Dotson will get opportunities, and after two years dreaming of a chance to play a more prominent role in an offense, it’s perhaps the most pivotal season of his young career.

2. How big is Branch’s role, and how high can he soar as a rookie?

Branch, collectively, is the most intriguing weapon on the Falcons’ offense. He enters camp at No. 4 on the team’s depth chart, but he’s loaded with potential and has a bucket of questions accompanying him.

Can he unseat Zaccheaus to be the primary slot receiver? Should he accomplish that, can he start? Should he check those boxes, can he, dare we say, finish as the team’s most productive receiver behind the proficient London?

Nobody truly knows. Branch, however, put together an impressive third phase of the offseason program. He’s trending toward being the Falcons’ punt and kick returner, and offensively, the team used him on bubble screens and quick-hitters, much like he did last fall at Georgia.

Branch has more explosiveness and offers a stronger vertical presence than any other receiver on the Falcons’ roster. He faced questions during the pre-draft process about his route running and the expansiveness of his route tree, which he and the team both feel are overblown, but he’ll need to prove he can translate his early summer success into padded practices and games.

There’s a niche role waiting for Branch as a gadget player who gets multiple touches per game, if nothing else. But there’s justified excitement from the Falcons’ staff and a real chance he makes a strong impression during training camp.

“Dude’s fast,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said about Branch. “Dude can play. Very shifty. Kind of reminds me of [Jaylen] Waddle. Great kid. Got a good head on his shoulders. He asks a lot of questions. I think that’s something very good that you like to see in your rookies.”

3. Who wins the final roster spot?

Whether the Falcons carry five or six receivers hardly changes the premise of this topic. After releasing Casey Washington in June, the final one or two slots behind London, Dotson, Zaccheaus and Branch remain open at receiver.

Dylan Drummond, who caught seven passes for 42 yards in nine games last season, and Chris Blair, who’s played in eight games across three seasons with the team, are the favorites.

United Football League signee Juice Wells, signed in June, is an interesting camp addition, while undrafted rookies Vinny Anthony II, La’Meke Brockington and Keelan Marion are trying to make a name for themselves.

The extent to which each player impacts the game on special teams may ultimately be the deciding factor, especially with there being limited opportunity for a No. 5 receiver to see the field in coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense.

Extracurriculars

Training camp information

The Falcons open training camp July 29 in Flowery Branch. The team will have 10 open practices for the fans, one being exclusive to season ticker holders July 31. For the full open schedule and ticket information, click HERE.