Arthur Smith ranked as CBS Sports’ No. 5 head-coaching hire

The Atlanta Falcons could have gone in a number of different directions when the 2020 season ended, but they chose the win-now option by bringing in Arthur Smith and drafting an offensive weapon instead of a quarterback in the top five of the 2021 NFL draft.

It was reported that Smith was one of the NFL’s most coveted candidates during the offseason. Atlanta was one of seven teams to hire a new head coach, however, not everyone believes the Falcons made the right move. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora ranked the seven new head coaches hired during the offseason, with Smith coming in at No. 5.

Here’s what La Canfora had to say about Atlanta hiring the former Titans offensive coordinator to replace Dan Quinn as head coach:

Heavy is the head of those labelled a QB-guru or offensive wunderkind. People expect immediate results. And this owner resisted a full rebuild and kept Matt Ryan around (despite giving away Julio Jones for cash/cap reasons), which sends an odd signal. They have no hope of immediate success with that defense, and the QB is in decline. But the objective seems to be to win ASAP, despite a horrible cap situation and with an aging core.

Most great coaches in today’s game are offensive-minded, but it’s also true that coaches with reputations as quarterback fixers or gurus tend to be held to impossible standards. Smith wasn’t just known for turning Ryan Tannehill from journeyman to top-10 quarterback, though. Derrick Henry, the NFL’s top running back, also went from a good player with potential, to a great player during Smith’s time as Tennessee’s OC.

Atlanta addressed its offensive line and added a possible Julio Jones replacement in rookie Kyle Pitts. As for the running game, the team drafted some pieces along with the offensive line, and will rely on veteran Mike Davis to carry the load at running back.