Is Former Rams QB Warner the Best Free Agent Signing Ever?

In 1997, the Los Angeles Rams, formerly the St. Louis Rams, made a free agency signing that would change the franchise's and the NFL's history. Does the Rams' addition of quarterback Kurt Warner rank among the all-time great free agency signings?

Feb 3, 2002; New Orleans, LA, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner (13) in action against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome. The Patriots defeated the Rams 20-17. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams are one of the most storied franchises in National Football League history. Their history spans decades across multiple cities and includes arguably one of the best owners in sports.

The organization's rich history has been filled with many highs and lows, but the Rams are one of the most well-respected franchises in the league.

One of the greatest moves in franchise history may also be one of the greatest moves in the NFL's history.

Sterling Xie of the Pro Football Network analyzed the best free agent signings in NFL history, listing the Rams' signing of Warner in free agency as a move that changed the Rams' future and that of the league itself.

"Kurt Warner is a tricky case on this list, as he signed a futures contract with the St. Louis Rams in December 1997 before being allocated to play in NFL Europe," Xie said. "His signing with the Arizona Cardinals was through the more traditional veteran free agency route, as he signed a one-year deal with Arizona in March 2005.

"Regardless, if we count both together, Warner completely changed the trajectory of two non-contending franchises in shocking fashion. The Greatest Show on Turf remains one of the most iconic offenses of all time, as the Rams led the NFL in scoring offense three straight seasons from 1999-2001. Warner or Marshall Faulk took home MVP honors all three of those seasons, with Warner winning in 1999 and 2001."

Xie noted that the 1999 Rams team still ranks as one of the most memorable teams in NFL history after an improbable Super Bowl win.

"The 1999 Rams remain one of the greatest Cinderella stories in league history, going from a last-place 4-12 outfit to an unlikely 13-3 Super Bowl champion in a single season," Xie said. "St. Louis was on the other end of an iconic upset two years later in the Super Bowl vs. the New England Patriots, and injuries and ineffectiveness ended Warner's rocket ship trajectory as quickly as it began.

"If that had been the end of the Kurt Warner story, he still would have ranked highly for his brief-but-dazzling Rams tenure. However, he also snapped the longest Conference Championship appearance drought in NFL history, bringing the 2008 Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance. It was the first time the franchise had played for a title since 1948 when they were still the Chicago Cardinals."

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