Twenty-four NFL teams have embarked on the offseason, and for fans of those teams, free agency is at the top of their minds. In the not-so-distant future, agents will begin negotiating their clients’ contracts.
For players moving onto new cities, one is at the bottom of their wish list. From nasty weather conditions to organizational instability, a prominent NFL insider has pegged this destination as the NFL’s least attractive free agent landing spot.
NFL’s Least Attractive Free Agent Destination
A label that once belonged to clubs like the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL’s least attractive free agent destination now belongs to the New England Patriots.
NFL insider Albert Breer and Bostonian isn’t shy about admitting it, either.
“This is one of the least attractive destinations for free agents in the NFL. Period,” Breer said on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub.
“Millionaire tax, cold weather, and no players are from here. That is what you’re up against. I’m from here, I love it here, but I’m here to tell people that this is one of the least attractive destinations to go to in the NFL. It is Buffalo without Josh Allen, Green Bay before Brett Favre, [and New England].”
As @AlbertBreer explained on today's @ZoandBertrand:
It is unfair to completely judge Eliot Wolf after just one season as the Patriots de-facto GM@Marc_Bertrand @scottzolak @Tim_McKone @TMorgan985 @tylermilliken_ @kfabrizio985 pic.twitter.com/jPs4O9J2Mo— 98.5 The Sports Hub (@985TheSportsHub) January 16, 2025
Mike Vrabel Faces Task of Attracting Free Agents to Patriots
Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf (whom Breer argues is being unfairly judged because he “inherited a dumpster fire”) and newly minted head coach Mike Vrabel face the tall task of revitalizing a franchise once synonymous with dominance, but the challenges go beyond the playbook.
New England’s brass has to solve the puzzle of attracting top-tier free agents to a destination widely regarded as one of the least appealing.
Team culture, championship potential, and, as Breer pointed out — climate and taxes — all influence a player’s decision-making process. Vrabel was hired to help with the first two, but climate and taxes are out of his control. New England’s notoriously cold weather, millionaire tax, and limited local appeal pale in comparison to cities like the beautiful and trendy Miami or Los Angeles.
Confronting Vrabel and Wolf are challenges in renewing a winning culture that will make the Patriots the place to be again and unearthing hidden draft gems to compensate for potential free agent drawbacks.
Bill Belichick, Tom Brady Made New England the NFL’s Dream Destination
Once upon a time, New England was a premier destination for NFL players. Playing for Bill Belichick, and alongside Tom Brady, made Foxborough a magnet for talent during the Patriots’ dynasty era. Add to that a trophy case with six Lombardis, and players were willing to look past brutal winters and high taxes.
Belichick’s reputation as a defensive mastermind and Brady’s G.O.A.T. status created an environment where winning was the norm. Veterans chasing that Super Bowl ring — like Randy Moss and Darrelle Revis — flocked to New England. Even younger players bought into Belichick’s “Patriot Way,” knowing they’d have the chance to cement their legacies in the postseason.
Winning it all is the ultimate goal, and it happened in New England for nearly two decades. But with Brady’s departure in 2020 and tumultuous seasons since, the Patriots are no longer it.
