The Falcons don’t have a ton of cap space to work with this offseason, which took them out of the running for bigger names in free agency. Cap issues aside, apparently Atlanta is considered a top destination for NFL free agents.
Robert Klemko at Sports Illustrated spoke to 15 NFL agents he knows, polling them about the best possible destinations for their clients. Atlanta landed in the Top 5.
So what goes into that? One agent told Klemko there are multiple factors to consider.
“There are so many factors to consider and every player is different,” an agent said, “but typically we look at winning culture/tradition, opportunity [for playing time], income tax laws, market, area of the country, and sometimes weather.”
Per Klemko’s polling, here are the top five destinations for NFL free agents.
- Dallas Cowboys (11 votes)
- Seattle Seahawks (8 votes)
- Miami Dolphins (8 votes)
- L.A. Rams (7 votes)
- Atlanta Falcons (5 votes)
Atlanta elbowed past the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans, each of which received four votes, to land at No. 5. Why is that?
... [one agent said] players from the SEC often see Atlanta as the “capitol of the south.” Another agent described the city as “America’s black mecca.”
Those factors, coupled with a consistently pleasant climate and a ridiculous amount of talent on the Falcons’ roster, would make Atlanta pretty appealing to free agents.
The Falcons were ranked more highly than any other teams in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each received two votes. The Carolina Panthers did not make the list at all, bless their hearts.
It won’t do the team any good this offseason, but it’s nice to know that Atlanta is seen as a good landing spot for NFL free agents.