We are currently watching the NFL players kids will read about in the history books. Which players are Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound?
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is one of the most prestigious honors in sports. It’s the only of the four major sports to have a game dedicated to the weekend honoring those who were enshrined. Not only is there a game, but it’s the game that kicks off the NFL preseason. It is the first football we see after the Super Bowl ends.
The 2023 class had nine honorees, including a wild mix of players from different eras, but it was largely defensive. Darrelle Revis, Ronde Barber, Zach Thomas, and DeMarcus Ware were the biggest names in the class along with offensive lineman Joe Thomas. Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley, and Ken Riley were the representatives from years past.
Looking at the NFL rosters of today, there are some players who seem like locks for the Hall of Fame, but there are not that many. The obvious ones, like Tom Brady, Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees, and Larry Fitzgerald are all retired. So, we had to get creative with some of these picks. Some might seem outside the box, but there are 371 members of the Hall. There are plenty of current players who will be enshrined one day.
One player from every NFL team who could make the Hall of Fame
Arizona Cardinals – Budda Baker
So, looking at this Arizona Cardinals roster, there’s… not much.
One realistic option is Kyler Murray, but he has a long way to go. The only real option is safety Budda Baker. He’s been in the league for six seasons, and he was a Pro Bowler in five of them, including last season. The Arizona Cardinals were a terrible franchise last season, and he was still a Pro Bowler.
Of the 32 players on this list, it’s surprising how high Baker would be on the “likely Hall of Famer” list. The average Hall of Fame defensive back made seven Pro Bowls. Baker has five under his belt already, and he’s just 27 years old. He’s already been a two-time All-Pro. Baker will have a Hall-of-Fame career if he has a few more seasons as one of the top players at his position, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t.
Atlanta Falcons – Calais Campbell
This one could have been fun, going with either Kyle Pitts or Bijan Robinson. Both those players have the talent to make the Hall of Fame one day, but it is way too early to make that claim. Calais Campbell has a career full of accomplishments that makes his Hall of Fame case very interesting.
Campbell is already on the cusp of being a Hall of Famer with his current accomplishments. He has 99 career sacks and 809 tackles. He also has 230 QB hits and three defensive touchdowns. Campbell has big plays under his belt. There is a problem that could hurt his HOF case.
What Campbell has going against him is he doesn’t have that signature season. He has two seasons with 10 or more sacks. His best season was 14.5 sacks during his first year in Jacksonville. He also has 15 playoff games and zero playoff sacks. That stat has to stand out when looking at
What really can put Campbell over the top is how great a human Campbell is. A former Walter Payton Man of the Year, Campbell holds annual giving events, and his CRC Foundation has been giving since the year after he joined the league. If anything, voters will see everything Campbell represents when they make this choice. He is the kind of guy they want to represent in the Hall of Fame. With his on-field accomplishments, that will put him over the top.
Baltimore Ravens – Justin Tucker
Four players are in the Hall of Fame as a kicker. One is George Blanda, who was also a really good quarterback. So, he doesn’t count. Another is Lou Groza, who was oddly also an offensive tackle. There are only two players who played kicker only and made the Hall of Fame; Morten Andersen and Jan Stenerud. Justin Tucker is better than both of them combined.
Tucker is the best kicker of all time. It isn’t often we can say that without any comeback, but Tucker is this amazing mix between booming leg and stupid accuracy. He also has ice running through his veins, which is a must for clutch kickers.
This is the most insane stat; Justin Tucker has the longest kick made of all time (66 yards) and the greatest accuracy of any kicker in history (90.524%). He’s the only kicker in history with a 90% accuracy rate for his career. There is no touching him already, and he’s just 33 years old. He could be doing this for another 10 years.
Kickers don’t always get into the Hall of Fame, but Tucker isn’t just any kicker. He is the kicker. There is no other player who has been as good as this at any position. He’s a Hall of Famer without a doubt.
Buffalo Bills – Von Miller
Obviously, this could easily be Josh Allen or Stefon Diggs. Both have had fabulous careers already, and they are primed for many more seasons of greatness. However, if both retired today, they wouldn’t be Hall of Famers. There are too many players who are great at their positions in this era to make the Hall without a fully-cooked career.
Speaking of fully cooked, Von Miller has already had a Hall of Fame career and is looking to build on his peak. He’s been in the top two for Defensive Player of the Year twice, losing by one vote to Khalil Mack in 2016. He currently has 123.5 sacks on his career. His pace last season with the Buffalo Bills was his best in a long time before he got hurt. He had eight sacks in 11 games, which would be 13.5 over 17 games.
Miller is a three-time All-Pro, a four-time second-team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler, and a Rookie of the Year. He was on the 2010s All-Decade Team, and he finished Super Bowl 50 as the game’s MVP. That game against Cam Newton and the Panthers was amazing. He forced two fumbles, including one that turned into a Broncos touchdown. Another fumble ended their possible game-winning drive. Adding another Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams is just icing on his Hall of Fame cake.
Miller is coming back from injury, but even if it goes swimmingly, his career is in its twilight. Even though he’s just 34 years old, the end is near. When he decides to hang up his cleats, a golden jacket will be waiting for him the second he qualifies.
Carolina Panthers – Brian Burns
One thing we have to give credit to the NFL Hall of Fame for is they give the best players the red carpet treatment no matter their situation. Joe Thomas is a first-ballot Hall of Famer despite playing on some of the most dreadful teams of this era. Brian Burns looks to be in the same vein as Thomas.
Burns has been getting better every single season. He had his best year last season, with 12.5 sacks and 12.5 stuffs. He is getting behind the line of scrimmage and putting people in the dirt. That’s going to get him a lot of attention.
This is still very early to make this claim, but Burns is in the first year of his prime. If he can stay above 10 sacks for the next five seasons, the voters will give that a ton of credence. He has to do it, which means staying consistent and, possibly more importantly, staying healthy. Can Burns do that on this Panthers team?
Just a few weeks ago, Burns was trying to push his way out of Carolina. Something changed, and now he’s back in camp. If they found a long-term fix to his issues, then it would be best for all sides. It will look better for Burns’ Hall of Fame case if he sticks with Carolina and becomes a superstar. We have a long way to go.
Chicago Bears – Justin Fields
This is by far the biggest reach of all the claims on this list. Justin Fields has been great as a running quarterback. His season was historic from that standpoint. He had more rushing yards last season than Michael Vick ever had. Only Lamar Jackson’s MVP season was more prolific than Fields. That season was amazing from a rushing standpoint, but it was pretty horrific from a passing standpoint.
Fields is the pick because there really isn’t any other pick better on the Chicago Bears. Maybe there’s an outside chance that Eddie Jackson or D.J. Moore has an insane second half of their career, but Fields’ unique talents will have voters understanding his impact on the game.
Imagine if Fields learns how to throw even at a top-20 level. He would be like Vick during that one season on the Eagles. He could win the MVP. Teams won’t be able to stop him. Fields will be a gameplan nightmare.
The Bears added a lot of pieces around Fields to make him better. Wide receivers, tight ends, and offensive linemen additions will make this easier for the Bears QB. We still have no idea what Fields’ ceiling is going to be. Will he be a great QB, or will he lose his job in 12 months? Either can conceivably happen. It’s weird to talk about a Hall of Fame QB who might not be a starting quarterback in one year’s time, but that’s what we’re looking at with the Bears.
Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase
This one is tough since we’re leaving Joe Burrow off the list, but Ja’Marr Chase is a special, special talent. This is exactly what the Hall of Fame is here to celebrate. Chase is early in his career, but he already has a long list of big plays as the Cincinnati Bengals are now one of the most prolific offenses in the league.
Chase has a long way before he really is considered for this honor. He is just in year two of his career. In year one, he had more than 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns. Despite missing five games last season, he still had more than 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns. Chase is producing at an incredible level, and that isn’t going to stop.
Chase’s age is going to help him stay in his prime for longer than the normal receiver. He joined the league at 21 years old, so he is still 23. Theoretically, his prime could last another seven or eight years. If he gets between 1,200 and 1,700 yards from now until 2030, he will be a Hall of Famer.
This is an era of great wide receivers. This reminds us of the 90s when Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens, Cris Carter, and Tim Brown ran the league. Eleven Hall-of-Fame wide receivers played in the 90s. This could be an era similar to that where there are a ton of wide receivers who make the Hall of Fame. Chase would absolutely be one of them.
Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett
The Cleveland Browns have some interesting players. Deshaun Watson looked like he was on the way to a Hall before he was accused of heinous things. Now, his on-field play isn’t even close on top of the allegations he faced. Amari Cooper was really good for a while, but he never reached Hall potential. Nick Chubb has been great but… you know… running backs.
Myles Garrett is the closest we have to Hall of Fame potential on this roster. He has been a superstar at a premium position. He has back-to-back 16-sack seasons. He’s already at 74.5 sacks in his career.
If he has another 16-sack season, which isn’t asking much, he will break 90 and find himself at 87th all-time in career sacks. If he stays on this pace, he’d have 149 sacks over a 12-year career. That would put him eighth all-time ahead of Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan.
Garrett could easily keep this pace. He’s actually dealt with some injuries, so he could do even better than this pace. We don’t see him competing for Bruce Smith’s record, but he could easily get into the top five (159.5 sacks from Julius Peppers).
The Browns are still celebrating Joe Thomas’ introduction. There will be celebrations all season long. Garrett will see how Thomas is treated and what could be coming his way. This is someone with an insane pedigree (former first-overall pick, two-time All-Pro, constantly on highlight reels) who has the stats to back it up. Garrett could easily make the Hall when it’s all said and done.
Dallas Cowboys – Micah Parsons
There are a few teams on this list where the option is obvious, and the Dallas Cowboys are one of those teams. Micah Parsons is a generational talent at the linebacker position. Nobody can touch him in terms of impact from that level. He is the best in the league, and that is what the Hall of Fame is looking for.
The Cowboys were lucky they were able to pick where they did during a pandemic year. Micah Parsons sat out his last season with Penn State, and he fell to 12th overall. If he came off his last season, he would easily be a top-ten pick. His talent showed immediately, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Parsons only has two years under his belt, but he’s been an All-Pro in both seasons. He’s done everything incredibly well, with 26.5 sacks over those first two seasons, 149 combined tackles, six forced fumbles, three recoveries, and six deflected passes. He’s doing all this from the middle linebacker position, something that isn’t as prevalent in today’s NFL.
There’s debate whether Parsons is moving to defensive end this season, but it’s pretty clear the Cowboys will make it more of a priority to get Parsons in the backfield. That will pad his stats throughout his career. It’s very early, but Parsons is well on his way to a Hall-of-Fame career.
Denver Broncos – Pat Surtain II
Russell Wilson should be the pick here. He was clearly a Hall of Fame quarterback for most of his career. However, we are one year into a six-year pact that likely has him with the Denver Broncos for longer than anyone is comfortable. That is why this isn’t Russell Wilson. In year one with the Broncos, he was bottom-of-the-barrell bad. He was the reason the Broncos were losing games. Players like that don’t make the Hall of Fame. He has a foundation, but until something turns around in a major way, he might cost himself his spot in the Hall.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have a few amazing young players to tout. Tops among them is cornerback Pat Surtain II. He’s often ranked as one of the best players under 25, one of the best cornerbacks in the game, and he’s quickly becoming a top defensive player in football. He’s not there yet, but he’s going to be if he stays on this path.
His stats aren’t going to jump off the page, but a cornerback usually doesn’t. He has six interceptions in two seasons. Teams are already game-planning to avoid throwing his way. He gets to play twice against Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes every year. He’s intercepted both of them twice. If he keeps showing up against top talent, then his Hall case will build over time.
This is early to claim victory on a player like Surtain, but like Micah Parsons, he’s shown superstar abilities basically since he stepped on the field in the NFL. That’s not going to change, and that’s why his Hall of Fame case is as high as it is already.
Detroit Lions – Aidan Hutchinson
Another way-too-early prediction here, but the Detroit Lions are another team with plenty of talent, but it’s missing some of that “best-in-the-league” talent. Aidan Hutchinson can definitely get there. Hutchinson was a little inconsistent in his rookie year, but only in that he could take over some of the games. He had two sacks in the season-opening win against the Green Bay Packers. He recorded three interceptions, all in Lions wins.
The Lions lost five of its last six games of the season. The only win came against the Washington Commanders, where Hutchinson had three sacks. When Hutchinson had a big game, the Lions won. It’s hard to make a one-to-one correlation, but it’s also hard to deny the pure coincidence that in every big game of Hutchinson’s career, the Lions won.
This year, expect Hutchinson to have a bigger season than his last. The Lions are better as a team. They expect to be in more games late. There should be more passing downs for Hutchinson to attack the quarterback. He should be able to claim more stats than ever.
This might be too early, but looking at the Lions roster realistically, nobody else makes sense. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the only other consideration, and he feels nowhere close. Hutchinson has a legit chance at greatness.
Green Bay Packers – Jaire Alexander
The Green Bay Packers are in a weird spot. They revamped the roster to get much younger. In that, they stripped down a lot of the veterans. That includes long-time quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who would have been the obvious pick here. With Rodgers toiling in New Jersey, it leaves Jaire Alexander as the superstar to lead this roster.
This is no snuff to Alexander. He is an incredible cornerback. However, calling him a Hall of Famer needs some convincing. He is always considered one of the top players at his position, but he’s never really been the top player.
Here’s what fans might not realize; Jaire Alexander is 26 years old. This should be the first year of his prime. He’s already been avoided by opposing cornerbacks, and he hasn’t even been at the peak of his powers.
The one thing that might hurt Alexander’s case is the Packers might not be a good team anymore. That could keep Alexander out of the national conversation. Who knows what the future holds, but he has the pedigree and is young enough to add many accolades.
Houston Texans – Derek Stingley Jr.
Who knows. The Houston Texans have so many players who could be great. Maybe it’s Will Anderson, who they paid a ridiculous price to get. C.J. Stroud might be really good, but there’s no way we can talk Hall of Fame before he takes a regular-season snap. We went with Derek Stingley Jr. because of the position he plays, what he proved in college, and what we’ve already seen in his rookie year.
Stingley had some moments in his rookie year, including intercepting Trevor Lawrence the first time they faced off. However, there was more bad than good. The Texans were a mess last season, and the rookies lacked direction.
And this is where it all turns around. Stingley now has DeMeco Ryans as his head coach. This is one of the best defensive minds in football today. He will find what ails Stingley’s game and turn it around overnight. This is a player with all the talent in the world. He has to stay healthy and play in a better system. Both will likely happen this season.
This might feel like a stretch, especially when we are talking about the player who will always be known as “not Sauce Gardner,” but Stingley can be great, too. If he is a main cog of the Texans turnaround, expect him to get some buzz. Admittedly, this is way too early, but there’s not much else to go with in Houston.
Indianapolis Colts – Jonathan Taylor
Now, this could change any day. Jonathan Taylor, as of this writing, is stil a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He’s also still one of the best running backs in the NFL today. As has been outlined many times in this article, being the “best” at something will always get noticed during Hall of Fame voting.
Taylor has only been in the league for three seasons. One season was that bizarre COVID year in 2020 (his rookie season and another was an injury-plagued year on a terrible team (2022). Still, he is averaging close to 1,300 yards per season and 11 touchdowns.
Taylor also gains brownie points because he is a true 2023 running back at the highest level. He’s not just a running threat. He has more than 100 receptions in his career. Now, he’s joining forces (hopefully) with Anthony Richardson. He is a dynamic talent, but Richardson will need Taylor for the first few seasons to carry him. That will lead to more yards and touchdowns on his stat sheet.
Expect Taylor to pad the stats for the next three-to-four years. The Colts will pay him to avoid the PR nightmare and keep as much talent around their prized QB as possible. Taylor as a check down is worth $15 million. Add in his rushing ability, and the Colts would be wise to pay the man. When that happens, a happy and healthy Jonathan Taylor will lead to Hall of Fame numbers.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence
This is another early one, but we saw the superstar sparkle shown upon Trevor Lawrence last season. This is the type of talent you bet on early and often. He’s going to be great, and we started to see the seedlings planted last season.
Of course, there were worries going into last year. This superstar QB class of 2021 was quickly falling short. Zach Wilson looks awful. Trey Lance can’t stay healthy and lost his job. Justin Fields can definitely run, and that’s why he’s on this list, but that doesn’t come without question marks. Mac Jones might lose his job by midseason. Lawrence bucked that trend last season, carrying the Jaguars to the playoffs and providing one of the best comebacks of all time.
Lawrence enters year three looking to jump into the Superstar Club. Under Doug Pederson, he saw a career revival. Maybe Urban Meyer is just the worst possible NFL coach, so we can erase any lack of progress in Lawrence’s rookie season. Now that he has the proper offense around him and the right motivator, a Hall-of-Fame career is almost likely.
There is a lot that could happen to make this harder for Lawrence. He has to avoid injury, and he has to win. Both might be hard in Jacksonville, which doesn’t exactly have a long history of staying relevant. They do have a ton of talent thanks to a few rebuilding years. Also, they play in a dog of a division. That should help them stay relevant over the long haul.
Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes
This can weirdly go in a few different directions. That’s what happens when you have a multi-time Super Bowl Champion. Travis Kelce is one of the best all-time at his position. He will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he retires. Chris Jones is one of the top players at his position. As a defensive tackle, there are few who can take over a game like Jones. None of that matters when Patrick Mahomes is on the team. He’s your Hall of Fame representative.
Mahomes is coming off his second Super Bowl title. It’s weird to think about Mahomes’ legacy so early in his career, but he’s already going into his seventh season. He has stats upon stats, with a 50-touchdown season, at least 4,000 yards in every season, and two 5,000-yard seasons.
Not that he needs it, but Mahomes’ rushing ability puts him over the top of any quarterback who tries to be even in his tier. He’s averaging 5 yards per carry every season over the past four. He knows when he should run, and he usually runs for exactly how much he needs and he gets down to stay safe. That will be appreciated.
Mahomes would make the Hall of Fame if he retired today. It sounds crazy, but it’s absolutely true. There has never been a player like this before. He is the only player who realistically can challenge Tom Brady for GOAT status. If he plays like this, nobody can deny he is the best. He would be the Wayne Gretzky of this sport.
Las Vegas Raiders – Davante Adams
The question shouldn’t be “will Davante Adams become a Hall of Famer?”, but it should be “is Davante Adams already a Hall of Famer?” Barring injury, he will easily pass 10,000 career yards this season. His 87 touchdowns already rank 15th all-time. Three of the players ahead of him are tight ends, so he’s already the 12th-best scoring wide receiver.
The knock on Adams before last season was nobody knew if he was a product of Aaron Rodgers. Those claims disappeared pretty quickly. He had 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown in his first game with the Las Vegas Raiders against a good Chargers team. He broke 100 yards eight times last season, which was a terrible one for the Raiders in general.
Now, Adams has to learn from yet another quarterback, as Jimmy Garoppolo steps under center. It doesn’t matter. Adams will get his numbers. He has 10+ touchdowns in six of his past seven seasons. He has more than 100 receptions in four of his past five seasons. The way Adams plays the game makes life easy for his quarterback.
Adams is probably already a Hall of Famer on the touchdowns alone. He’s just 30 years old, so he should do this for at least three more seasons at a high level. If he can get 30 touchdowns over the rest of his career, he’d be seventh all-time. Everyone ahead of him (outside Larry Fitzgerald who isn’t eligible yet) is a Hall of Famer.
Los Angeles Chargers – Joey Bosa
This one was really hard. The Los Angeles Chargers have a ton of top-level talents in many different phases of their careers. Justin Herbert obviously could become a top-level quarterback who is a Hall of Famer, but despite his stats, this era has too many good quarterbacks to bet on him. He ironically feels like this era’s Philip Rivers.
Austin Ekeler is a unique weapon, but he’ll never hit that level. Keenan Allen is likely going to break 10,000 yards receiving, but he’s missing a lot of the accolades that get players into the Hall (All-Pros, awards, league leaders). It really comes down to two pass rushers; Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Mack could definitely make the Hall, but we are going with Bosa here.
Bosa is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL today. He’s had some injury issues, but every time he’s able to put together a full season, he has over 10 sacks. Overall, Bosa has 60.5 sacks in 84 games. Let’s say he plays slightly below that pace for the rest of his career. We think he can easily end up with over 120 sacks in his career.
Officially, only 22 players have 120 sacks in their career. Unofficially, there are more since sacks didn’t become a stat until 1982.
Bosa probably has to stay as dominant as he’s been. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler, a Defensive Rookie of the Year, and he has a reputation as a dominant pass rusher. He needs at least one All-Pro under his belt, and in reality, he likely needs two before he hangs them up. He’s sneaky old (28 years old), so he is running out of prime to dominate.
Los Angeles Rams – Aaron Donald
There are a few players on the Los Angeles Rams from that 2021-22 Super Bowl team, but there isn’t a lot. The three main players are Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford, and Cooper Kupp. Of those three, Donald is the closest to the Hall of Fame. He is as much of a lock for the Hall as any active player in the NFL.
Donald has everything voters are looking for in the Hall. He was a dominant player that was often not only the best at his position but the best defensive player in general. He’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. J.J. Watt and Lawrence Taylor both have three, but nobody has four. Donald can be the first if he wins another award.
Not only is Donald a top superstar in the league during his nine-year career, but he is a great representative of the game. Donald has never had a bad headline written about him. He represents the game in the best possible way. Everyone loves Donald, and they should. He’s never given anyone a reason not to like him (outside of the offensive linemen he’s made look silly).
There’s no argument here. Donald is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he will likely be a unanimous vote.
Miami Dolphins – Jalen Ramsey
The Miami Dolphins have talent on talent across the board. There are some interesting Hall of Fame cases for Tyreek Hill and Xavien Howard. They are two of the best at their positions, but they seem like they might fall just shy. Even if they don’t, and this goes a little more for Hill than Howard, Jalen Ramsey seems like a lock to make the Hall one day. He was so good for so long that it might not matter what he does from here on out.
Of course, if the ending is seriously bad, it could put Ramsey’s HOF case in jeopardy, but it would have to be really bad. The worry right now is injuries. Ramsey is going to miss most of this season with an injury he suffered during training camp. He has to come back and put up serious numbers to make the deal worth it for the Dolphins. That doesn’t mean he needs to do it for his Hall of Fame case.
Ramsey was the Darrelle Revis of this era. He has the accolades (three-time All-Pro, Super Bowl Champion, Pro Bowler for every season outside his rookie year) to get him in. He’s been a top player at his position basically since he joined the league. He is still at the top of the stat sheet even now. His 18 pass deflections finished third in the NFL last year behind Sauce Gardner and James Bradberry.
This feels like a no-brainer. Ramsey has an interesting legacy. He weirdly fell under the radar just because of how prevalent offense became in this era, but he was one of the best at stopping opposing wide receivers. In the long run, he will be honored for that. He’s also still 28 years old. Despite the injury, he should be able to play at the highest level.
Minnesota Vikings – Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson is undoubtedly the best wide receiver in the NFL. If any player takes the lead in a position group as handily as Jefferson has, they will eventually get Hall of Fame consideration. It’s really early for Jefferson. If he retires today, he wouldn’t sniff the Hall (depending on his reasoning for retirement). Yet, he’s the best candidate on the Vikings by a country mile.
Jefferson led the league in yards and receptions last season. He did everything for the Vikings and Kirk Cousins, who made the most fourth-quarter comebacks ever. Having that outlet able to run any route to perfection is an advantage no team can neutralize.
The Vikings have an interesting decision to make after this season. Kirk Cousins is heading toward free agency. Will they give him a huge contract again? Can the Vikings find a better fit? We’re getting Kyler Murray vibes (which would be AWESOME for Jefferson), but that’s not for us to figure out here. The QB does matter for Jefferson, and he needs someone who at least rises above the mean.
Jefferson is coming off an Offensive Player of the Year award win. He was fifth in MVP voting. He could become the first wide receiver to win an MVP. Only four wide receivers won OPOY (Jerry Rice won it twice). If he continues to rack up legendary awards, enshrinement into the Hall of Fame is a given.
New England Patriots – Ezekiel Elliott
Thankfully, we finished writing this piece on Monday, because, before that, it was slim-pickings on the New England Patriots. There are a lot of very good players on this roster. Matthew Judon could be a local Hall of Famer one day. Juju Smith-Schuster has had a nice career. Christian Barmore, Jonathan Jones, and Christian Gonzalez could be really good, but it’s too early to tell. It’s much easier to make a case for newly-signed Ezekiel Elliott.
Of course, when Elliott eventually retires from the NFL, he won’t be known for his time in New England. This is one of those weird stops, like Emmitt Smith with the Arizona Cardinals or LaDainian Tomlinson with the New York Jets. Still, Elliott could be in a position to pad stats. The Patriots find the best use of its running backs. Elliott might get more goalline carries here than anywhere else.
Elliott’s rookie season was historic. He finished fourth in MVP voting and fifth in Offensive Player of the Year voting. He led the league in rushing with 1,631 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He led the league in yards per game in his first three seasons in the league, leading to that huge contract he signed with Jerry Jones.
Elliott’s Hall of Fame case comes down to the narrative. It seems he faces a lot of grief for how he dealt with his contract situation. Also, he got cut at 28 years old despite the Cowboys eating a lot of money to do so. Still, for a spell, Elliott was beyond great. Will that be enough to get him in the Hall?
New Orleans Saints – Cam Jordan
The New Orleans Saints team is another tough nut to crack. Derek Carr was a top-ten QB for a little while, but he seems like he has a career full of mediocre seasons in between great ones. Alvin Kamara was a top weapon in the game for most of his career, but his recent legal trouble and play downturn likely makes his case a no-go. Michael Thomas was once a top receiver, but injuries derailed any Hall of Fame consideration. Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu spent time as the top players at their position, but it was arguable and fleeting at best.
We settled for Cameron Jordan. Last season, Jordan officially broke the Saints franchise record for sacks once held by the great Rickey Jackson. Jordan currently has 115.5 sacks in his career, putting him 23rd all-time (on the official sacks list, which only counts stats since 1982). If he gets 10 sacks this season, he will tie Dwight Freeney for 18th all-time.
Jordan is an interesting case for the Hall of Fame. He’s incredibly popular in NFL circles, and he is still controlling the game despite being 34 years old. His ability to get in the backfield is incredibly underrated, as he rarely gets named amongst the NFL’s best pass rushers. Ironically, his under-the-radar status might actually help his Hall of Fame case. It’s one of those “he’s over underrated he’s now properly rated” scenarios.
Jordan probably needs at least two more productive seasons to put his HOF case over the top. 22 sacks in any amount of time gets him tied with Richard Dent for top 10 all-time, and it would be really hard to keep him out at that point.
New York Giants – Saquon Barkley
It’s either Saquon Barkley or Dexter Lawrence for the New York Giants, and we went with the more memorable candidate. Despite his injuries, Saquon Barkley has been able to dominate the game when he’s on the field. Last season, there’s no question he was the Giants’ best weapon. He dragged that team into the playoffs with 1,312 yards rushing and 338 yards receiving. Daniel Jones targeted Barkley 76 times last year, more than any other target on the team.
Voters will remember Barkley’s dynamic ability to impact the game in multiple ways. If the Giants remain winners and Barkley sticks around, his Hall of Fame case will grow. He needs quite a lot to go right to make it happen, but things are starting to fall into place for it to happen.
The lack of recognition is hurting Barkley so far. He only has two Pro Bowl appearances and an Offensive Rookie of the Year win to his name. He’s never been the All-Pro running back, and that must happen if he were to make the Hall. Luckily for Barkley, he came into the NFL young and is still just 26 years old.
Of course, the stats need to follow Barkley for the rest of his career. He can’t miss any more significant time due to injury if he wants to keep his Hall of Fame case alive. He has to be durable, and he has to be incredible. This is a man with talent for days, so don’t doubt his ability to do this.
New York Jets – Aaron Rodgers
There are a few fun ones on this team. It’s really hard to keep Sauce Gardner off, especially since we chose Derek Stingley Jr. for the Houston Texans. C.J. Mosley has had a stellar career, but there’s no choice on this team other than Aaron Rodgers. The Jets new quarterback has been one of, if not the top player at his position for almost two decades.
Aaron Rodgers is a four-time MVP. That alone gets him into the Hall of Fame. He currently holds the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history at 4.52. He might be the safest superstar in modern NFL history. He’s only thrown an interception on 1.4% of his career passes. That is a mind-blowing statistic.
Rodgers is ninth all-time in passing yards and will likely pass Dan Marino this season. He’s fifth all-time in passing touchdowns with 475. He can very funnily pass Brett Favre this season if he throws 34 touchdowns, which is possible with this offense around him. If he does stick around for two years, Peyton Manning is within reach for third all-time.
He might not be the most well-liked player in the NFL, but Rodgers’ stats cannot be denied. He’s an all-time great that could win with just about anyone. His lack of playoff success (one Super Bowl appearance) isn’t his best look, but there are a myriad of excuses why Rodgers couldn’t take that final step more than once. It shouldn’t impact his legacy when looking at his Hall of Fame residency.
Philadelphia Eagles – Jason Kelce
There are a lot of ways we could go with the Philadelphia Eagles pick. There is a great mixture of veteran and young talent across the depth chart. It’s time to give some love to the big guys. Jason Kelce is absolutely going to make the Hall of Fame. He’s a top center of this era, has played in multiple Super Bowls and won one, and his leadership alone will get him enshrined.
Kelce is one of the most beloved figures in all of football. Voters hold onto that kind of sentiment when putting a name to paper in the ballot box (or wherever votes are stashed).
Kelce was named a “lock” to make the Hall of Fame by Eric Edholm of NFL.com. He mentioned his journey from an undersized lineman taken in the sixth round to being a staple in the middle of a top offense year in and year out.
Kelce is a four-time All-Pro, showing that voters already think he’s one of the game’s best regardless of position. He’s missed just four games since becoming a full-time starter in 2013. He hasn’t missed any games since 2014.
Consistency is part of the game for offensive linemen, and centers have the unique position to guide the quarterback. They point out coverages, keep the QB on the play clock, snap the ball, and still block at the highest level. The only thing that can hurt his case for the Hall of Fame at this point is he refused to give Canton his Mummers Jacket from the Super Bowl parade. Can a museum hold a grudge? We guess we’ll find out.
Pittsburgh Steelers – T.J. Watt
The Pittsburgh Steelers are another easy team to decipher. While there’s a lot of young talent that could one day morph into Hall of Fame talent, like Kenny Pickett and George Pickens, T.J. Watt is above everyone on this team in terms of superstar ability. He already tied the single-season sacks record with 22.5 in 2021. He did that in 15 games, so a full season will solidify the record from the Good Morning America host, Michael Strahan.
Watt is a force on the football field, similar to his brother J.J. It will be fun to see both become Hall of Famers one day. The younger Watt is well on his way, with 77.5 sacks in six seasons. He’s led the league in sacks twice already, and he has one Defensive Player of the Year award to his name. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, showing he’s one of the most dominant players at one of the most important positions in the NFL.
The one issue that could derail Watt’s HOF eligibility is health. Watt has started to see injuries creep in, missing seven games last season and two the year before. He comes back as strong as ever, so these injuries haven’t slowed him down. However, it only takes that one injury to be the one that makes an impact on a player’s burst.
For now, we celebrate Watt for the superstar that he is. Even with so much talent at the position in today’s NFL, Watt might still be the best. That should be enough to get him a gold jacket.
San Francisco 49ers – Trent Williams
Trent Williams is an easy pick with the San Francisco 49ers. There really isn’t an offensive lineman who can touch him in this stretch. He’s the Orlando Pace of the 2010s and 2020s. He’s been a Pro Bowler in 10 of his 12 seasons as a starter with Washington and San Francisco. We’re choosing not to count 2019, in which he didn’t play a game. For whatever reason, it took voters a long time to recognize his greatness because he’s only been voted All-Pro that past two seasons and never before.
Williams has missed some games to injury over the years, but he’s never played less than 10 games since he was drafted in 2010. He might miss a game here or there, but he is reliable to take the brunt of the NFL season from a position that gets hit a lot.
What’s going to make this an easy vote is the eye test. We usually don’t advocate for the eye test, but the Hall of Fame needs it for offensive linemen. Williams can make plays on the field 320-pound men shouldn’t physically be able to. He has ballerina-like movement from side to side, stopping even the fastest pass rushers in their tracks.
Williams can do it for any play. Rushing attack, long passes, short passes, screens, reverses; you name it and Williams can block for it. He’s probably going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he decides to end his career.
Seattle Seahawks – Bobby Wagner
This is fun because we get to talk about the returning Bobby Wagner. Wagner left the Seattle Seahawks last year for what he thought were green pastures near the end of his career. Instead, he ended up on the disappointing Los Angeles Rams while the Seahawks lifted themselves up to be a playoff team. Bobby Wagner saw what he was missing, and he returned this offseason.
Since Wagner was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, he’s made first-team All-Pro six times. That’s actually insane for a defensive player and not like… a really good kicker. Wagner dominated the linebacker position for years and years. Only Ray Lewis and Mike Singeltary have more All-Pros in their career than Wagner.
It might fall under the radar just how dominant Wagner was in his time in Seattle. He was a key member of the “Legion of Boom” defenses. The reason Richard Sherman and the rest of that secondary could dominate like that is Wagner could easily stop running backs and rush the quarterback at the same time.
This one is a no-brainer. Bobby Wagner is going to the Hall of Fame. We believe he will go on the first ballot, but it all depends on the narrative of that year. Either way, expect enshrinement for him sooner rather than later.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a bad way after Tom Brady said goodbye to the game of football this offseason. Despite winning the division and making the playoffs last season, they seem like a team without a direction. They still have a bevy of veterans, including the always-reliable Mike Evans.
Evans has one of the most interesting statistical streaks in the NFL, putting up more than 1,000 yards receiving for nine-straight seasons. He’s never had less than 1,000 yards in his career. Evans hasn’t always been doing this with Tom Brady under center. Most of his career was spent with Jameis Winston. In his first year, he had Josh McCown and Mike Glennon, and he still had 1,000 yards receiving.
This past season, Evans officially passed 10,000 yards receiving and 75 receiving touchdowns. Only six players have hit that milestone by their ninth season, and they are all Hall of Famers (or eventual HOFers).
This one might feel weird on paper, but Evans clearly has the statistical profile to make it to the Hall of Fame. If he’s able to go for another 1,000 yards this season with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask under center, he deserves to make the Hall for that alone.
Tennessee Titans – Derrick Henry
With all the devaluing of running backs lately, it’s muddying the waters of the great running backs of this era. While Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott look for new homes late into the offseason, Derrick Henry is going into year eight with the Tennessee Titans.
In the first seven years, Henry rushed for 8,335 yards. He’s led the league in rushing twice, including 2,027 yards in 2020. He is one of six players ever to rush for north of 2,000 yards in one season. Henry is in the same breath as Adrian Peterson as the best runners of this generation.
Henry is a three-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro, and an Offensive Player of the Year winner. Henry is as decorated as any in his position. At 29 years old, he might be closer to the end than the beginning, but he led the league in carries last season. He will get more work as time progresses.
With so many holdouts and stars left without a new home, we’re not sure if that ends up impacting Henry. He might only have a year or two left before he hangs them up. If he plays as long as Peterson, then he could get very high on the all-time rushing list. He would need 10,000 yards to beat Emmitt Smith, so that’s out of the question. Could he get 4,000 yards to get himself past Tony Dorsett into the top ten? That seems much more feasible, and it would lead to a Hall of Fame induction.
Washington Commanders – Jonathan Allen
The Washington Commanders have some Hall of Fame talents on the roster, but none have lived up to the billing. Chase Young looked like a lock to be a star coming out of college. Since he was drafted in 2020, a lot has happened. He came out very fast, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Since then, he’s dealt with injuries and underperformance.
We couldn’t make the pick Young. It had to be someone on this roster more established. Terry McLaurin just won’t have the stats to get him in the Hall. Everyone else is either not good enough or too young to even go there. Jonathan Allen is the right pick here.
Allen has all the accolades to be a college football Hall of Famer. He was great in his time at Alabama. He has the talent to be a top defensive tackle. He’s already been a two-time Pro Bowler. However, he’s missing a lot of what every other Hall of Famer needs.
Admittedly, this needs a lot to actually happen. Allen has to be twice the player he’s been so far, but he does have a foundation. Also, he showed in college he can be that type of player. His stats aren’t jumping off the page, but they can in due time.