Best FA in NFL History

[El Guapo]

This is generally a fluff piece but good to read: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ry-eagles-saquon-barkley-tops-legendary-list/

Unsurprisingly, the author suggests that Saquon Barkley is the best FA signing ever, pushing Reggie White to #2. It is quite ridiculous considering that most of the players on the list had years of production in addition to a SB to justify their place in the standings. Saquon only has one year under his belt and joined a top tier team. He didn't resurrect his career or turn around a franchise like White did for the Packers.

Maybe the future will show that Saquon deserves to be at the top of the list. Right now, it seems too premature to me.

 

[McKnowledge]

Has to be Tom Brady.

Just being completely objective and unbiased.

Instantly the Bucs became contenders winning the Super Bowl along with Brady getting Super Bowl MVP.

 

[mradtke66]

Instantly the Bucs became contenders winning the Super Bowl along with Brady getting Super Bowl MVP.

The Bucs were actually pretty damn good before Brady showed up. They almost made the playoffs with James Winston throwing 30 interceptions! in 2019. They were 3rd in the league for points scored in both 2019 (pre-brady) and 2020.

It was a crazy roster and was certainly "just a quarterback away."

 

[tynimiller]

In truth there are a lot to consider. I could hear the argument for Brady, of course White, Saquon and others too for sure...

 

[Firethorn1001]

Recency bias. Hell, just put Zach Baun above White too.

The signing of White changed the perception of GB and the impact of that move is still felt 30+ years later. I see no such cosmic shift. Barkley made a very good team great. White helped take a franchise that was wandering in the wilderness for years and put them on a path of sustained success.

 

[Heyjoe4]

In truth there are a lot to consider. I could hear the argument for Brady, of course White, Saquon and others too for sure...

Yeah this is a harder discussion than which player is the GOAT. I'd still say White is the best FA signing, and not as a Packer fan. When White came to GB, he basically sent a message to every future FA that it was ok to play for GB. GB was not SB-ready when White arrived.

I see the argument for Brady and Barkley. But I already have Brady down as GOAT, and the Bucs had a v good team when he arrived, and it was one year.

There's a better case for Barkley. He was certainly the Eagles' MVP last year. But the Eagles made other moves in the offseason - notably acquiring Zach Baun and drafting DeJean. And it's only been one year.

So I vote for White until there's a better case for someone else.

 

[McKnowledge]

The Bucs were actually pretty damn good before Brady showed up. They almost made the playoffs with James Winston throwing 30 interceptions! in 2019. They were 3rd in the league for points scored in both 2019 (pre-brady) and 2020.

It was a crazy roster and was certainly "just a quarterback away."

The facts are that the Bucs didn’t make the playoffs with a so called talented roster.

Brady changed the culture of the Tampa Bay organization not only holding the entire organization to a higher standard but bringing along HoF FAs along with him.

The title of this thread is Best FA signing in NFL history.

Reggie White is the best FA signing in Green Bay history.

Reading comprehension is very important nowadays.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The facts are that the Bucs didn’t make the playoffs with a so called talented roster.

Brady changed the culture of the Tampa Bay organization not only holding the entire organization to a higher standard but bringing along HoF FAs along with him.

The title of this thread is Best FA signing in NFL history.

Reggie White is the best FA signing in Green Bay history.

Reading comprehension is very important nowadays.

I like your choice of Brady as the best NFL FA signing. Your logic is sound.

I just like the Reggie White signing more, and probably because no one saw it coming. We all knew White was leaving the Eagles, and I think SI did a cover story on the competition for White. I don't think GB was mentioned.

White made it ok for talented players to come to a tiny city in WI.

 

[mradtke66]

Reggie White is the best FA signing in Green Bay history.

Reading comprehension is very important nowadays.

I said nothing about Reggie White in my post. I suggest you follow your own advise.

 

[El Guapo]

What do people think is the best trade in NFL history? At first I thought it would be something like the Hershel Walker trade, but is a win/lose trade better than a win/win trade like the Goff/Stafford trade???

 

[Heyjoe4]

What do people think is the best trade in NFL history? At first I thought it would be something like the Hershel Walker trade, but is a win/lose trade better than a win/win trade like the Goff/Stafford trade???

I'd rather look at the best win-win trades. Stafford was traded by the Lions to the Rams for Goff and a lot of what became very high draft picks. The Rams won a SB and the Lions are knocking on the door.

 

[McKnowledge]

I said nothing about Reggie White in my post. I suggest you follow your own advise.

I wasn’t replying just to you…

Your post made the least sense

For the ones that liked your response they didn’t take NFL history into consideration

 

[gopkrs]

As far as free agent signings. Didn't the patriots almost go undefeated when they picked up Randy Moss. And he had a tremendous year if my memory serves.

 

[tynimiller]

I wasn’t replying just to you…

Your post made the least sense

For the ones that liked your response they didn’t take NFL history into consideration

How did it not make sense? He essentially summarized the Buccs season prior to Brady arriving?

 

[OldSchool101]

Has to be Tom Brady.

Just being completely objective and unbiased.

Instantly the Bucs became contenders winning the Super Bowl along with Brady getting Super Bowl MVP.

I think he’s for sure top 10. However what many don’t consider is it was the Tampa Bay Defense that carried that 2020 team on its back to the SB. The Defense under Bowles partnering with Bruce Arians was what popped from 2019 to 2020. It’s also no mistake Bowles worked for Ron Wolf in 1995 and 1996 in GB. The D rose from #29 to #8 and was still peaking into postseason.

The 2019 Bucs finished with the #3 rated Offense the prior season to Brady entering the picture. 2019 included a QB who had thrown a league high 33 INT (Jameis Winston) It didn’t take much but stability to continue on that path or better it. You could’ve put quite a few better QB’s from today into that Tampa mix and most would do similar imo. Now that doesn’t detract from Brady’s career as GOAT, but imo a guy like Reggie White was more a catalyst to the team “improving” as a FA addition. He single handily dominated his opponent. White just revitalized our Defense at a time when Favre was maturing into one of the greats.

 

[mradtke66]

I happened to do a little digging today during lunch. From what I can tell, the first QB to help win a Super Bowl for a team he wasn’t drafted by, was Steve Young. Favre was second.

Warner was the first FA, but that’s cheating a little bit. I’m happy to exclude him as an undrafted free agent.

Of all the quarterbacks that have signed as a unrestricted free agent and then won a Super Bowl, the list is:

Dilfer (Ravens)
Brad Johnson (Bucs)
Brees (saints)
Manning (Broncos)
Brady (Bucs)

If the only criteria that matters is winning the Super Bowl, they are tied. The each helped their FA team win 1.

If the criteria is total body of work, I struggle to differentiate between Brees and Manning. Brees gave the Saints more solid seasons, Manning gave the Broncos 3 seasons in the playoffs, 2 Super Bowl appearances, 1 win.

I’d rate Brady 3rd. Two seasons in the playoffs, 1 Super Bowl win.

Brad Johnson 4th, Dilfer last for not ******** up what the defense had cooking.

 

[McKnowledge]

How did it not make sense? He essentially summarized the Buccs season prior to Brady arriving?

Under the pretense that the Bucs were successful before Brady signed.

They weren’t.

Brady transformed the entire culture and standard for that organization.

Delivered a championship right away.

Until recently with Saquon Barkley I can’t think of any FA that delivered ultimate team success the way Brady did.

This is IMO the greatest FA signing in NFL history.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

This is generally a fluff piece but good to read: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ry-eagles-saquon-barkley-tops-legendary-list/

Unsurprisingly, the author suggests that Saquon Barkley is the best FA signing ever, pushing Reggie White to #2. It is quite ridiculous considering that most of the players on the list had years of production in addition to a SB to justify their place in the standings. Saquon only has one year under his belt and joined a top tier team. He didn't resurrect his career or turn around a franchise like White did for the Packers.

Maybe the future will show that Saquon deserves to be at the top of the list. Right now, it seems too premature to me.

Saquon was the best player on a sh*t team for years. He then switches teams, goes to the arch enemy and gets a ring. Most would say he pushed them over the top.

 

[tynimiller]

Under the pretense that the Bucs were successful before Brady signed.

They weren’t.

Brady transformed the entire culture and standard for that organization.

Delivered a championship right away.

Until recently with Saquon Barkley I can’t think of any FA that delivered ultimate team success the way Brady did.

This is IMO the greatest FA signing in NFL history.

I personally think there is a case for Brady, but what he said was not wrong at all. Buccs had went through a massive overhaul, Bruce Arians was brought in after two five win seasons which were massive let downs from the expectations seeing as how in 2016 a year after drafting Winston they won 9 games. Tampa Bay had been building something though:


2015 - they drafted their LT of the future in Donovan Smith who still started 12 games last year for them now 9 years later
2017 - Chris Godwin was added
2018 - Vita Vea, Carlton Davis, Alex Cappa (all played massive starting roles in their SBs)
2019 - Devin White, Sean Murphy-Bunting (has fallen off but starter on SB teams)
2020*SB Year - Tristan Wirfs, Antoine Winfield Jr, Tyler Johnson

Free Agency Signings
2019 Shaquil Barrett, Breshad Perriman

Retentions - One massive thing was getting Mike Evans extended off his rookie deal as well which gave Brady knowledge of an incredibly blessed WR room. Lavonte David same thing they had him locked up on extension too.

There was a reason a LOT of people pointed to Tampa Bay when it became knowledge Brady was going to be heading somewhere else. That doesn't, at least in my opinion, downplay what Brady did at his age production wise down in Tampa but the team was loaded with talent and yes, arguably a CLEAN QB play away from being VERY deadly. It was the perfect marriage.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Under the pretense that the Bucs were successful before Brady signed.

They weren’t.

Brady transformed the entire culture and standard for that organization.

Delivered a championship right away.

Until recently with Saquon Barkley I can’t think of any FA that delivered ultimate team success the way Brady did.

This is IMO the greatest FA signing in NFL history.

It's interesting to look at another Bucs team, the SB championship team from, I think, 2000. That team had an incredible defense and the QB was Trent (TouchDown) Dilfer. Similarly, the Broncos won a SB with superior defense and a largely ineffective, late-career Peyton Manning. So teams can win SBs without great QBs. But it's very hard.

As for the Brady-led Bucs, it seems pretty certain that Brady was the missing piece. As you note, it wasn't just his skill at QB, but at leadership. That whole team seemed to coalesce around him to win the SB.

Anyway he is a good example of a great FA signing. No disagreement from me. For me, the greatest FA signing in NFL history was Reggie White and GB. He made it ok for players to come and play in GB. If I recall that signing, the NFL world was stunned that he went to the Packers.

 

[Schultz]

IMO Reggie White is the greatest FA signing of all time.

 

[rmontro]

I say Reggie White, although I'm admittedly biased. He helped change the culture in GB. Seems like we had this discussion not all that long ago. It's cool the Packers have two players in the top ten. Interesting, considering GB was known so long as a draft and develop team.

 

[Thirteen Below]

For me, the greatest FA signing in NFL history was Reggie White and GB. He made it ok for players to come and play in GB. If I recall that signing, the NFL world was stunned that he went to the Packers.

And what I think is most remarkable is that most of his motivation in signing with the Packers was that he felt a personal admiration for the organization and the way they treated their players; how downhome and genuine everyone was, especially the fans. He felt at home here the minute he stepped off the plane; in fact, on the plane ride from Detroit, he was first impressed by the flight attendant on the charter jet - Sterling Sharpe served them drinks, sandwiches, kept them company, and made them feel at home.

Reggie told Sharpe he was reluctant to leave a big city, because his inner city mission work was important to him, and he said "there ain'tg no black people there." Sharpe looked at him and softly said, "You know, Reggie.... white people need saving, too. You think on that."

He was shocked and delighted when Wolf and Holmgren picked him up at Austin Strauble in a Jeep instead of a limo, and took him to Red Lobster for catfish instead of a steakhouse. They'd done their homework, and learned that was one of his favorites. That made him feel they cared about him and his wife as human beings.

When he visited San Francisco, they took him to a fancy restaurant and put 4 Super Bowl trophies in the center of the table. When Washington took him to a fancy restaurant, they put 3 Lombardis in the center of the table.

Green Bay took him to Red Lobster and fed him catfish. His kind of people.

He also mentioned in later years that when the Eagles played at Lambeau in 92, he and the rest of the D pounded Favre into a pulp. He was only sacked 3 times, but he took a lot of hard hits, and just kept getting back up. That was the game where reporters asked one of the other Eagle DL afterwards, "what unexpected difficulties did you encounter against the Packers today?", and he said "We had to be careful not to trip over Mandarich, because we never knew which way Reggie was going to throw him."

Favre went 23/33 that day for 275 yards and 2 TDs, despite the beating he took, and Reggie said he knew that kid was unique.

And of course, we all know that God played a part in it by leaving him a divine voice mail message.

 

[Thirteen Below]

I say Reggie White, although I'm admittedly biased. He helped change the culture in GB. Seems like we had this discussion not all that long ago.

I remember Favre talking about that; something to the effect that he'd never met a player who had so much personal impact on an entire locker room full of players. He said Reggie taught his teammates not only that it's OK for grown men, football plaers, to openly express their love one another, but that it was important to do so. Favre said just having Reggie in the room made everyone a better friend, brought everyone closer together, made them feel like brothers.

Favrte later said that he thought Reggie's influence was a big part of what made the franchise so successful in the 90s not just on the field, but in the locker room as well.

 

[Heyjoe4]

And what I think is most remarkable is that most of his motivation in signing with the Packers was that he felt a personal admiration for the organization and the way they treated their players; how downhome and genuine everyone was, especially the fans. He felt at home here the minute he stepped off the plane; in fact, on the plane ride from Detroit, he was first impressed by the flight attendant on the charter jet - Sterling Sharpe served them drinks, sandwiches, kept them company, and made them feel at home.

Reggie told Sharpe he was reluctant to leave a big city, because his inner city mission work was important to him, and he said "there ain'tg no black people there." Sharpe looked at him and softly said, "You know, Reggie.... white people need saving, too. You think on that."

He was shocked and delighted when Wolf and Holmgren picked him up at Austin Strauble in a Jeep instead of a limo, and took him to Red Lobster for catfish instead of a steakhouse. They'd done their homework, and learned that was one of his favorites. That made him feel they cared about him and his wife as human beings.

When he visited San Francisco, they took him to a fancy restaurant and put 4 Super Bowl trophies in the center of the table. When Washington took him to a fancy restaurant, they put 3 Lombardis in the center of the table.

Green Bay took him to Red Lobster and fed him catfish. His kind of people.

He also mentioned in later years that when the Eagles played at Lambeau in 92, he and the rest of the D pounded Favre into a pulp. He was only sacked 3 times, but he took a lot of hard hits, and just kept getting back up. That was the game where reporters asked one of the other Eagle DL afterwards, "what unexpected difficulties did you encounter against the Packers today?", and he said "We had to be careful not to trip over Mandarich, because we never knew which way Reggie was going to throw him."

Favre went 23/33 that day for 275 yards and 2 TDs, despite the beating he took, and Reggie said he knew that kid was unique.

And of course, we all know that God played a part in it by leaving him a divine voice mail message.

Wow thanks for this amazing background on Reggie becoming a Packer. Catfish more important than trophies. Gotta love that. And I love the quote about white people needing saving too.

I didn't know that Mandarich and Favre ever played together. Interesting. Signing White is one of the Packers' finest moments. And drafting Mandarich....... You can't always get what you want.