6 Best Free Agent Signings in New Orleans Saints History

In the history of the New Orleans Saints, there has been more free agent misses than hits until recently. It used to be that players' careers came to the Big Easy to die. In the first three decades in the city, the only "big-name" players who came to the Saints were ones that were in the twilight of their respective careers.

La'Roi Glover changed all of that in 1997. 

He was the first hit in a recent trend of positive free agent signings for the Saints. That great move started a positive and winning era in New Orleans with only minor speed bumps. Their front office not only started getting productive players on the unrestricted free agency front, but also in the undrafted one from Sammy Knight to Pierre Thomas. 

Let's take a look at the best six players that have landed in New Orleans, and hope that a player in this year's crop could be on this list soon. 

Drew Brees, Signed in 2006

The best signing in the history of the New Orleans history, maybe the NFL, didn't come without a little bit of doubt.

Drew Brees' shoulder was torn up, and he was giving a 25 percent chance to play football again. Even with that, there were two teams that were competing for his services: the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints.

There was uneasiness on the Dolphins' side, especially with then-Coach Nick Saban, on the health of Brees' shoulder. Saban passed, and Saints personnel showed so much faith in the injured QB that they gave him a six-year, $60 million contract. At the time, that contract looked a little steep for a QB that no one knew would play again, let alone dominate.

In retrospect, that contract looks like a bargain for one of the best QBs in the league.

And as they say, the rest is history.

For their faith in Brees, the Saints were rewarded with the best six-year span—stats-wise—of any quarterback in NFL history. He rewrote team and NFL record books, especially in 2011 when he broke the single season passing yardage record.

The Purdue product has also led this team to two NFC Championship games and a win in Super Bowl XLIV. His signing launched the most successful period in Saints history, and he is set to hit it big in free agency in 2012, despite being franchised.

With over 28,000 passing yards, 200 touchdowns and a 98.5 passer rating, Brees was well worth for New Orleans to get the greatest player in Who Dat history. 

Joe Horn, Signed in 2000

Coming off of a disastrous 1999 season, the Saints were looking for playmakers at the wide receiver position.

That season, the WR position produced a mere 11 touchdowns. Local product Eddie Kennison was supposed to help that out, but he ended up staying only one season and bolted to Chicago. He wound up having some decent seasons with the Chiefs, which is ironic because an up-and-coming prospect out of Kansas City would be his eventual replacement.

Not only would this player make Saints fans forget about there beloved L.S.U. Tiger, Kennison, but he would also rewrite the franchise record books in the process.

His records would stand until another diamond-in-the-rough, Marques Colston, would replace him. He is none other than Itawamba Junior College's finest: Joe "Hollywood" Horn.

Horn managed to rack up 600 yards receiving and six touchdowns despite only starting one game. He was the fourth option in Kansas City behind Tony Gonzalez, Derrick Alexander and Andre Rison. His "silent" production caught the eye of then-GM Randy Mueller and Horn was signed to be the No. 1 option at WR, and give the Saints another playmaker next to Ricky WIlliams—fresh off of his rookie season.

He would go on to have a 94 catch, 1,3000-yard season with eight touchdowns, and would enjoy a five-year run that includes three 1,300-yard seasons, two 90-plus reception seasons and two double-digit touchdown seasons.

Horn will go down as the best WR in Saints history, and that's an alright find from the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs depth chart. 

La'Roi Glover, Signed in 1997

Like Horn, La'Roi Glover was also undervalued and dropped into the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft.

The Saints, with Jim Mora at the helm, had a chance to take him with the pick right before the Raiders selected him. The next season Mora was out, Glover was released by Oakland and Mike Ditka was the new coach in New Orleans.

The Saints would not miss out again.

What's interesting is that the hated Atlanta Falcons had a chance to acquire La'Roi before he was released by the Raiders. They didn't want to part with a conditional draft pick. Ditka hopped on a chance to get the potential stud and sent him to New Orleans' NFL Europe affiliate, Barcelona Dragons. Glover would claim All-League honors with 6.5 sacks—third in the league—and helping his team to a World Bowl victory.

After coming back stateside, the San Diego St. alum would end up with another 6.5 sacks despite only starting in six games. He would go on to have great success in Mike Ditka's defense, racking up 25 sacks in his first three years in New Orleans.

It wasn't until Jim Haslett's arrival that Glover's career really took off. In his first year in Haslett's system, he would go on to lead the NFL in sacks with 17. That year would began a consecutive streak of six years going to the Pro Bowl.

He ended his Saints' career with 50 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and an interception in five years of being in Who Dat Nation.

Not bad.

He and Joe Horn were two big FA signings that helped this franchise to their first playoff victory in 2000. 

Michael Lewis, Signed in 2001

Every team has their "Rudy." Well, the New Orleans Saints' have their "Beer Man."

Ironic?

Michael Lewis was a local product. He grew up and prepped in the suburbs of New Orleans. He caught on with a couple of indoor and semi-pro leagues in Louisiana in the late 90s, and was on the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League in 1999. He had what seemed to be his big break when the Philadelphia Eagles signed him in 2000.

That joy was short when Lewis was cut before the season started. 

Downtrodden and out of options, Lewis came home to New Orleans and got hooked up with a local Budweiser distributor as a truck driver. The tiny, 5' 8" 175-lb player had his hopes of playing football dashed, and had reality setting in with every beer truck he unloaded. 

The "Beer Man's" hopes were renewed later in the 2000 season when his hometown Saints gave him a call, and sent him to NFL Europe to hone his game. He made the roster in 2001 as a return specialist on special teams at the age of 29. That year, he would split time at punt returns with Wayne McGarity and kickoff returns with rookie Deuce McAllister.

Then, 2002 would be his break out year.

He would be the lone return specialist for the Saints, and he would not disappoint setting franchise records for kickoff and punt return yards and touchdowns in a season with three. This would also be his one and only season going to the Pro Bowl. He was a true testament of hard work paying off, and he was extremely quick to boot.

He also set a franchise record for all-purpose yards in a season that has since been topped by the next key free-agent acquisition on this list.

Darren Sproles, Signed in 2011

Darren Sproles has only been with the Saints one year, and is still one of the best free-agent signings in team history.

He might have had the best year by a new player to a team. His presence in the position that was, basically, made for Reggie Bush skyrocketed his career to new heights. 

Playing in Sean Payton's offense, Sproles broke the NFL record for all-purpose yardage, and added a different dimension to the Saints' offense that hadn't been seen since 2006. He accounted for 600 yards on the ground and two touchdowns at seven yards per carry. Through the air, he had 86 receptions for 710 yards and seven touchdowns. His nine-yard touchdown catch in Week 16 versus Atlanta helped Drew Brees break the single-season passing yardage record.

His impact was also felt in the return game. Despite only taking one punt back to the house, he had numerous long returns in big situations, and also had another punt return for a touchdown called back for a penalty.

For the year, his return yards added over 1,300 yards to his season totals.

His presence in the passing game is what made his signing the most important. He was basically Drew Brees' slot guy/security blanket—what Lance Moore usually is. With Moore missing some time, Sproles got a chance to work a repor and a trust with his new quarterback. He was counted on to get the tough yardage in the middle through air.

In 2012, with a healthy Moore, the Saints passing game could get even more dangerous.

Darren Sharper, Signed in 2009

Speaking of best one-year, free-agent wonders, how about Darren Sharper's run in 2009?

Sharper was coming off an '08 season where it appeared he had lost a step, but he was still better than most safeties in the league when healthy. He signed a one-year deal with the Saints and proceeded to match his season high in interceptions with nine.

It wasn't that he was just making the interceptions—he was taking them back to the house. Three, to be specific.

He had three interception return touchdowns before the midway mark of the season. He was being talked about as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. His infectious ball-hawking play was rubbing off on the entire defense, and the Saints set records for defensive touchdowns in a season that year with seven.

These recent bounty allegations have cast a dark cloud over what was supposed to be a great season to cap off a brilliant career for Sharper. Instead, it takes away from the plays that were made on the field. He racked up nearly 400 yards on his nine interceptions that year.

Unless there was a bounty on the football itself, Sharper's '09 season will go down as one of the best seasons by a defender who didn't win Defensive Player of the Year.