Shamelessly stealing from a dark side thread, but I am curious as to what people think. What currently employed and playing NFL players do you think are future members of Canton? I'll throw out Brady, Peyton, and Randy Moss to start the conversation. All three are surefire, no questions about it HoFers in my mind. Your thoughts?
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QB: Tom Brady, Andy Dalton RB: Charles, Lynch, Martin, Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, Rashad jennings, Joe McKnight, Leon Washington WR/TE: Antonio Brown, Brandon Lloyd, Randall Cobb, Ted Ginn K: Bryant DST: Bills
If they retired today, I think these guys are locks. And by locks, I mean as much of a lock as we can predict. God knows the HOF snubs locks all the time (Cris Carter) Anyways, here's my list:
QB: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady RB: Nobody WR: Randy Moss TE: Tony Gonzalez OL: Steve Hutchinson DL: Nobody LB: Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher DB: Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, Charles Woodson, Troy Polamalu ST: Adam Vinatieri, Devin Hester
Guys who I think are on the fringe but should get in if they keep playing productive football for a few more years:
QB: Eli Manning RB: Adrian Peterson WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne TE: Antonio Gates, Jason Witten Defense: DeMarcus Ware, Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney, Jared Allen, Richard Seymour
I wanted to put Big Ben on the list, but his off field antics concern me and make me question his HOF status. Rings are a bit overrated, IMO. I think Eli gets in but Ben doesn't if things remain status quo. I think the HOF will have a bias towards a Manning getting in.
Then there are a ton of other guys who have the look of a HOF'er but it's WAAAAAAAAY too early to tell (e.g. Darrelle Revis, Calvin Johnson, etc...)
I'll throw some names out that haven't been mentioned and I think are in the conversation.
Hines Ward, I guess technically retired Antonio Gates Steve Hutchinson Larry Fitzgerald Jeff Saturday (homer pick, but dude has been awesome forever) Logan Mankins Patrick Willis (it's early, but all signs point that way)
DWare has a shot, and London Fletcher should, but isn't a recognizable name, so probably won't.
Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Charles Woodson from the Pack should make it when all is said and done.
ADP, Welker, SS, Wayne, AJ should have a chance based on truly elite play for their career so far. Terrell Owens and Randy Moss are first ballot HOFers, can't really knock their later years because Rice played too long, too.
I think the New Age in passing will produce several QBs, with Brady, Peyton, Brees and Rodgers first ballot HOFers and Eli and Big Ben being fringe, depending on what they do in the second half of their career.
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2011:
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Dr. Duran Duran wrote:If they retired today, I think these guys are locks. And by locks, I mean as much of a lock as we can predict. God knows the HOF snubs locks all the time (Cris Carter) Anyways, here's my list:
QB: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady RB: Nobody WR: Randy Moss TE: Tony Gonzalez OL: Steve Hutchinson DL: Nobody LB: Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher DB: Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, Charles Woodson, Troy Polamalu ST: Adam Vinatieri, Devin Hester
Guys who I think are on the fringe but should get in if they keep playing productive football for a few more years:
QB: Eli Manning RB: Adrian Peterson WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne TE: Antonio Gates, Jason Witten Defense: DeMarcus Ware, Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney, Jared Allen, Richard Seymour
I wanted to put Big Ben on the list, but his off field antics concern me and make me question his HOF status. Rings are a bit overrated, IMO. I think Eli gets in but Ben doesn't if things remain status quo. I think the HOF will have a bias towards a Manning getting in.
Then there are a ton of other guys who have the look of a HOF'er but it's WAAAAAAAAY too early to tell (e.g. Darrelle Revis, Calvin Johnson, etc...)
I agree almost completely with the "locks" list. Vinatieri will be an interesting case because I'm not sure if there's a kicker in yet, but he should get in. Same thing with Hester - I don't think there's a current HOF'er that was primarily a return specialist, but Hester is the undisputed GOAT at that position and also a player that changed expectations for how special teams could impact the game.
For the "in with a few more good seasons" list, I actually think Calvin Johnson is in with 3-4 more productive seasons; he's dominant enough that he could be the type to get in with a short career (last season was one of the best WR seasons ever, he's had several pro bowl-worthy seasons before that, and think about it...if you take him off of the Lions, do they even have an average offense?). I'd put Welker on that list too; he'll get bonus points for having a unique skillset and for being an essential part of a perennial contender for so long.
QB - Manning, Brady WR - Moss TE: Gonzalez OL: Hutchinson LB: Ray Lewis DB: Bailey, Reed, Woodson ST: Hester
On some of the controversial names:
QBs: I have Brees as a should be in if he were to retire today. A good season this year would do a lot IMO to remove the "system" label from him. If he pulled a Warner and succeeded with another team that would also lock down his HOF status.
RB: I don't see anybody who should be in right now, a great generation of RBs just finished up.
WR: TO should obviously be in based on football skills, but his media issues and problems with QBs I could see hurting him. Welker's an interesting case, I think he needs either a bunch more years or he needs to do something without Brady. I see him as a HInes Ward without the blocking/ambassador, etc. (and I see Hines Ward as somebody who could really go either way, probably gets in because he has two rings).
TE: Gates should be in (has completely revolutionized the position), but may need a few more years.
OL: A few really good OL just retired, but I don't see anyone playing right now besides Hutch. nobody dominant.
DL: Nobody right now
LB: Urlacher's in with another couple of good years, he's a should-be-in right now IMO. Willis should get there but he's too young to even say.
DB: Polamalu's another should-be-in. Revis is in if he plays 5-10 more years at this level.
Vinatieri: Don't think I could put a kicker in, and he wouldn't be at the top of my list anyhow. Never had that srong of a leg, really was just more of a guy who was put in position to make a lot of clutch kicks.
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