Most free agents in June can't afford to be picky. After all, there's a reason why they're still unsigned three months after the start of the league year.
Roddy White, though, is certainly being selective. The former Falcons wideout is refusing to sign with any team that isn't a contender. He said there are six teams he'd consider.
Time for someone to fire up the White-to-the-Patriots rumors.
"When my agent and I went down the list and I saw the teams that really needed wide receivers, I was like, 'Wow, I really don't want to go there,'" White told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I knew I couldn't win with any of those teams. At this point of my career, I don't want to be dragging my feet in Week 13 just to have an opportunity to be 4-10 next week."
If that offer never materializes, White will retire, saying that he's willing to wait until Week 4 or 5 of the season.
"I've literally prepared myself for it. I've talked to my financial adviser and he said I'm fine if I decide to quit. But I've always played this game to win a Super Bowl," White said. "I thought I'd get with the Falcons and we'd win a championship and everything I wanted in my career would be fulfilled. I've been on good teams and bad teams, but at this point I don't have the energy to be on teams that can't win now."
Though it might result in him never playing football again, White's approach makes sense. In his 11-year career, White's accumulated 808 receptions, 10,863 yards, 63 touchdowns, and zero Super Bowls. At this point in his career, he's already got the individual numbers -- he's only missing the championship. In the last three seasons, the Falcons have averaged six wins, so fatigue from losing might be playing a role too.
He's also slowing down. He's 34 and will turn 35 in November. Last year, White caught just 43 passes. He's hardly the player he used to be, which explains why he's a free agent at this point in the offseason.
Plus, there's one more perk to his approach.
"Who wants to do OTAs anyway?" White asked.
If White does call it quits, he'll go down as the most productive receiver in Falcons history, though Julio Jones figures to have something to say about that in the future.
