AzorianPats
In the Starting Line-Up
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Why not Seymour?
He was arguably the second most valuable player (after Tom) on 3 Super Bowl winning teams. He anchored the defense of a team that won 3 super bowls, on a team that was known for its defense. When a team is as good as those Patriots teams are they'll get a representative - who better than Seymour, who was the key to Belichick's 30 front schemes because of his versatility?
He pretty much defined the 5-tech defensive end position, and for that he was chosen to the 2000s all-decade team. 3 1st team All-Pro nods (to Wilfork's 1), 57.5 sacks (to Wilfork's 16.0). And he played out of even alignments on many snaps, often doing the exact same "unglamorous" task that Wilfork has done of tying up blockers.
The thing is, when players with "unquantifiable roles" are considered, the performance of their unit is given weight to make up for it. Seymour didn't get that many sacks because he was 2-gapping, but the defense was so successful that you could absolve him for it. Wilfork? In the years he has been given all-pro consideration the Patriots defense has been 28th, 29th, 21st, 7th, and 19th in YPA. Against the run? 6th, 24th, 16th, 23rd, and 26th in YPC. So he doesn't have team success or statistical success to lean on here.
And that's before getting to players from other teams who have a case - I have a hard time seeing Wilfork in before Kevin Williams or La'Roi Glover for example.
Belichick and Brady are first-ballot locks.
DAL: Ware (borderline), Waters (borderline), Witten (unlikely), Romo (unlikely), Bryant (early)
NYG: Pierre-Paul (early), Cruz (early), Tuck (unlikely)
PHI: McCoy (early)
WAS: Fletcher (unlikely)
Brady, Belichick, adam vinatieri .
That is it.
Belichick and Brady are first-ballot locks.
If there was justice in this world, Wilfork would be a near-lock. Unfortunately, if Ted Washington and Steve Tasker can't get in, Wilfork won't either. He's a Patriots HOFer for sure.
Gronk's got to continue to play at a top level for many more years before he enters the discussion.
Other guys either don't have a chance or it's way too early to tell.
Among former Patriots, Moss is a first-ballot lock and Welker is a near-lock. I used to think Welker was a borderline guy who would probably get passed over because he didn't emerge as a game-changer until after a few years into his career, but he's been so consistently good and has shown so few signs of slowing down that he's probably going to be make it, albeit not as a first ballot guy because WR is such a loaded position.
Among active players, by team, who have a shot (note only currently exceptional young players are included; many like Chandler Jones could stand out in the future) - 'unlikely' means that player will probably be an annual finalist at best. I'm a tough grader, though - my Hall of Fame would be more exclusive than the current one.
Generally, these are guys who are or have been the best player at their position, or likely will be shortly.
BUF: M.Williams (unlikely)
MIA: None
NE: Brady (first ballot), Belichick (first ballot), Wilfork (unlikely), Gronkowski (early), McCourty (early)
NYJ: Mangold (unlikely)
BAL: Ngata (unlikely), Suggs (unlikely)
CIN: A.Green (early), Harrison (unlikely), Atkins (early)
CLE: J.Thomas (early), Haden (early)
PIT: Polamalu (borderline), Roethlisberger (unlikely)
HOU: Reed (first ballot), A.Johnson (likely), Lechler (unlikely), Watt (early), Brown (early)
IND: Wayne (likely), Mathis (unlikely), Luck (early)
JAX: Jones-Drew (unlikely)
TEN: None
DEN: Manning (first ballot), Bailey (likely), Welker (likely), Clady (early), V.Miller (early), D.Thomas (early)
KC: Hali (unlikely), Berry (early), Houston (early)
OAK: Woodson (likely)
SD: Freeney (likely), Gates (borderline)
DAL: Ware (borderline), Waters (borderline), Witten (unlikely), Romo (unlikely), Bryant (early)
NYG: Pierre-Paul (early), Cruz (early), Tuck (unlikely)
PHI: McCoy (early)
WAS: Fletcher (unlikely)
CHI: Hester (unlikely), Peppers (unlikely), Marshall (unlikely)
DET: C.Johnson (first ballot)
GB: Rodgers (likely), Matthews (early)
MIN: Peterson (first ballot), J.Allen (borderline), K.Williams (unlikely)
ATL: Gonzalez (first ballot), Jones (early), Samuel (unlikely), S.Jackson (unlikely)
CAR: Kuechly (early)
NO: Brees (first ballot), Evans (borderline), Graham (early)
TB: Revis (likely), McCoy (early), Nicks (unlikely)
ARI: Fitzgerald (likely)
STL: R.Quinn (early)
SF: Willis (likely), Boldin (unlikely), J.Smith (unlikely), Staley (early)
SEA: Sherman (early), E.Thomas (early)
FIXED
Randy moss is going in as a viking and welker has no shot because tim brown, reggie wayne, issac bruce, and steve smith are not getting in.
Tim brown is 5th in all time reciever yards
reggie wayne is 11
issac bruce is 4
steve smith is 23
chad johnson is 28
and wes welker is 49
Yards is more important than catches.
See I think Roethlisburger and Gates are first ballot....
FIXED
Randy moss is going in as a viking and welker has no shot because tim brown, reggie wayne, issac bruce, and steve smith are not getting in.
Tim brown is 5th in all time reciever yards
reggie wayne is 11
issac bruce is 4
steve smith is 23
chad johnson is 28
and wes welker is 49
Yards is more important than catches.