5 NFL players who cement their Hall of Fame legacy in 2020
By John Buhler
LB. Seattle Seahawks. Bobby Wagner. Pick Analysis. 3. player. 36. Scouting Report
Maybe it already happened, but other Seattle Seahawks things got in the way. Though he wasn’t part of The Legion of Boom secondary, linebacker Bobby Wagner has a better chance of getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame of any defensive player to play for the Seahawks during the Pete Carroll era. The guy has been incredible for going on a decade.
Pro Football Reference has Wagner with a Hall of Fame Monitor score of 88.28. While that’s a good bit below the average hall of fame score of 113 for an inside linebacker, Wagner ranks ahead of four Pro Football Hall of Famers including Harry Carson and Ray Nitschke. With his age-30 season upon us, Wagner should have a few more years to be a Pro Football Hall of Fame lock.
In eight years out of Utah State, Wagner has been a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time First-Team All-Pro and has won a Super Bowl ring. He made the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and has a shot at making the 2020 team if he plays up to lofty standards for the next four or five years. What’s really impressive about Wagner is who he could pass in the coming years on the HoF Monitor.
Next up is the late Nick Buoniconti of New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins fame. The next four after Buoniconti would be Patrick Willis, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher and Luke Kuechly. After that, it’s certifiable GOAT status with the likes of Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary, Jack Lambert and Dick Butkus. Seattle has a top-10 inside linebacker all time and we almost didn’t even notice!