Saquon Barkley isn’t just a centerpiece of the Philadelphia Eagles offense that will challenge the Kansas City Chiefs for a Super Bowl LIX victory. The star running back has produced one of the most prolific debut seasons of any acquisition in recent NFL history, entering the big game just 31 yards shy of the league’s record for single-season rushing yards, including playoffs. With all that in mind, is it also possible Barkley already belongs among the best free agent signings of all time?
Here’s where we’d rank Barkley among the best NFL standouts to sign with a new club:
Yes, he’s only played one season in Philly, but even if he called it quits after this year, he’d be remembered for one of the most explosive campaigns in NFL history. It’s not just that he cruised to more than 2,000 yards on the ground in a pass-heavy era of football, but that his weekly burst helped revive the Eagles’ Super Bowl hopes, making him the instant face of an already loaded lineup.
Where does Saquon Barkley’s 2024 season rank among the greatest individual seasons in NFL history?
Jeff Kerr
Four seasons of varied usage with the Baltimore Ravens preceded Holmes’ move to Kansas City, where the running back exploded as a workhorse for the Chiefs. He eclipsed 1,400 yards rushing in each of his first three seasons for the club, and scored a combined 51 touchdowns from 2002-2003 alone.
The sturdy center played four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks to start his career, but he’s best known as the anchor of the New York Jets’ front from 1998-2005. A Pro Bowl selection for six straight seasons in East Rutherford, New Jersey, his gritty blocking helped pave the way for …
After three seasons with the New England Patriots, Martin joined the rival New York Jets and proceeded to rattle off seven straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, leading the league with close to 1,700 at the age of 31. A five-time Pro Bowler, he also helped Gang Green make four different playoff runs.
Leaving the Oakland Raiders after eight years in the Bay Area, Woodson found new life with the Green Bay Packers, twice leading the NFL in interceptions over seven seasons patrolling their back end. He ended up with 38 picks over 100 games in green and yellow, setting the standard as a ballhawk.
Cut by the Eagles due to off-field troubles, Carter’s wakeup call led to a Hall of Fame revival with the Minnesota Vikings, who added him as a low-risk flyer and eventually got a run of eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. Three times during his purple reign Carter led the league in receiving touchdowns.
Undrafted in 1994 and cast to both an arena league and the now-defunct NFL Europe in the subsequent seasons, Warner resurfaced with the St. Louis Rams as a backup for Trent Green, then balled out when the latter got injured, winning both MVP and Super Bowl MVP for “The Greatest Show on Turf.”
After saying goodbye to the Patriots following a dynastic 20-year run with New England, Brady instantly transformed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from perennial afterthought to title contender at age 43, throwing 40 touchdowns and beating the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Despite questions about his health coming off an esteemed run with the Indianapolis Colts, the future Hall of Famer instantly elevated the Denver Broncos to AFC powerhouse, leading the NFL in completion rate (68.6) with 37 scoring strikes at age 36, and paving the way for two Super Bowl appearances.
The only man to warrant placement on this list for two different signings, “Prime Time” helped solid defenses become suffocating Super Bowl-winning units when he went from the Atlanta Falcons to the San Francisco 49ers (1994), then to the Dallas Cowboys (1995) as a big-play cover man.
After five promising years with the San Diego Chargers, Brees became the face of the New Orleans Saints, granting a hurricane-damaged city 15 years of on-field hope. And he did it with historic efficiency, winning a Lombardi Trophy and logging the second-most passing yards of all time.
A legend for two franchises, White went from stalwart of a dominant Eagles front to title-hunting catalyst of the Packers, racking up 68.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in six seasons at Lambeau. His forceful edge presence as the “Minister of Defense” brought Green Bay a title, as well as plenty of individual accolades, including a Defensive Player of the Year nod and future Hall of Fame induction.
