Top 15 Greatest Free Agent Signings in NFL History
By Josh Hill
10. Rich Gannon – QB
Old Team: Kansas City Chiefs
New Team: Oakland Raiders
He had bounced around a few places in the NFL before landing in Oakland during the 1999 offseason, but once Jon Gruden got his hands on Rich Gannon, the quarterback was never the same. The Kansas City Chiefs allowed Gannon to walk to the Raiders in free agency and Gannon proceeded to thrive in Gruden’s West Coast offense. 2002 was without a doubt Gannon’s best season as a quarterback, as he set new records and won an MVP trophy along the way. He never won a Super Bowl but Gannon was a major factor in the Raiders Renaissance of the late-90s/early-2000s and Oakland hasn’t had a guy like him since.
9. Brad Johnson – QB
Old Team:
Washington Redskins
New Team:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brad Johnson isn’t going to be a Hall of Famer, but he will forever go down as one of the most game changing free agent signings in NFL history. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the most ferocious defenses the NFL had ever seen in the late-90s/earl-2000s but one thing had always held them back from winning it all: a quarterback. Trent Dilfer couldn’t get it done, Shaun King was hardly a passable quarterback and Eric Zeier’s days as a starter seemed to have never actually existed. But Johnson had a breakthrough season in 2001, smashing Buccaneers franchise records and eventually thriving in Jon Gruden’s West Coast Offense on his way to leading the Buccaneers to the one place they had gotten so close to before: a Super Bowl title.
8. Jerry Rice – WR
Old Team: San Francisco 49ers
New Team: Oakland Raiders
When Jerry Rice arrived in Oakland, he was already an established legend. There was absolutely nothing more Rice had to prove in his hall of Fame career at that point which is what makes his run with the Raiders that much more amazing. While Rich Gannon was one part of the Raiders Renaissance of the early-2000s, Rice was the pulse as he came in with nothing left to prove and still managed to amaze. Rice caught over 1,000 yards in his first year in Oakland and was a major reason why the Raiders made it to Super Bowl XXXVII.
7. Curtis Martin – RB
Old Team: New England Patriots
New Team: New York Jets
Bill Parcells had his eye on Curtis Martin when he drafted him during his time with the Patriots and he thought enough of the young running back to get him to sign with the New York Jets during the 1998 offseason. Martin was a restricted free agent, but the Jets used an infamous “poison pill” clause to acquire Martin’s services. It cost the jets a first round draft pick (that turned into Georgia running back Robert Edwards), but once with the Jets, Martin missed only a single game in his first sevens seasons with the team and quickly became one of the best players the franchise has ever seen.
6. Charles Woodson – CB
Old Team: Oakland Raiders
New Team: Green Bay Packers
Charles Woodson was one of the best defensive backs the Raiders had ever had, but he elevated his career to the next level when he took his talents to the frozen tundra of Green Bay and headed up one of the toughest defenses in recent years. Woodson’s career with the Packers was a series of up-moments, culminating in Woodson being a driving force bend bringing home a Super Bowl trophy to Titletown in 2010. Injuries plagued his final seasons with the Packers, but Woodson had already etched his name into Packers lore and remains one of the best free agency signings ever.