Joe Flacco will set the bar for many quarterbacks to come. (US Presswire)

There was a time when a big contract signed by a free agent had a ripple effect around the league. I remember when Reggie White signed with the Packers in the first big free-agent deal. I was at the Jets at the time and led our campaign to attract Reggie with a four-year $16 million deal. He went to Green Bay for close to the same money.

The White deal had a ripple effect felt around the league.

High-priced free agents like White changed the structure of contracts, with more guaranteed money than ever before. It was only the beginning of league-changing deals.

NFL offseason moves
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