Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2021-23)
Ronde Barber, CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2018-2023)
Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Henry Ellard, WR – 1983-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-98 Washington Redskins, 1998 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Jahri Evans, G – 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
London Fletcher, LB – 1998-2001 St. Louis Rams, 2002-06 Buffalo Bills, 2007-2013 Washington Redskins | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Dwight Freeney, DE – 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
James Harrison, LB – 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2021, 2023)
Devin Hester, PR/KR/WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2015-2023)
Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Albert Lewis, CB – 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-98 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2013, 2023)
Robert Mathis, DE/LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Darrelle Revis, CB – 2007-2012, 2015-16 New York Jets, 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2014 New England Patriots, 2017 Kansas City Chiefs | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Steve Smith Sr., WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Joe Thomas, T – 2007-2017 Cleveland Browns | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2023)
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2019-2023)
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2017-2023)
DeMarcus Ware, LB/DE – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020, 2022-23)
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2022-23)
Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2020-23)
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2023)

My take on the 5 first year eligibles...
Joe Thomas: a slam dunk this year
Jahri Evans: I think belongs but may have to wait a year or two.
Darelle Revis: Will get in. Possibly this year. But am I the only one who saw about 4 years of greatness and then HoVG level play as he bounced around the league?
Dwight Freeney: I'm on the fence whether he belongs but will eventually be enshrined because... Sacks!
James Harrison: No. Unless he gets credit for having an interesting personality and being in commercials.

ChrisBabcock wrote:My take on the 5 first year eligibles...
Joe Thomas: a slam dunk this year
Jahri Evans: I think belongs but may have to wait a year or two.
Darelle Revis: Will get in. Possibly this year. But am I the only one who saw about 4 years of greatness and then HoVG level play as he bounced around the league?
Dwight Freeney: I'm on the fence whether he belongs but will eventually be enshrined because... Sacks!
James Harrison: No. Unless he gets credit for having an interesting personality and being in commercials.

i share the same mindset on those you mentioned chris

Revis is similar to Deion Sanders in backing up his ability by being a mercenary player for different teams. Great but should have stayed with the Jets, though helping the Patriots prevent a back-to-back champion in Seattle, while winning his only championship, didnt hurt his chances for the HOF. He will be elected but next year.

Joe Thomas will be elected first ballot, though Freeney will also have to wait. Still cant believe Fletcher went farther than multiple All-Pro Williams at DT.

If I had my way, Ellard would be part of the Class Of 2023 but he wont go farther. Center Nalen continues to be denied like other players in the trenches ...

Brian wolf wrote:Revis is similar to Deion Sanders in backing up his ability by being a mercenary player for different teams. Great but should have stayed with the Jets, though helping the Patriots prevent a back-to-back champion in Seattle, while winning his only championship, didnt hurt his chances for the HOF. He will be elected but next year.

Joe Thomas will be elected first ballot, though Freeney will also have to wait. Still cant believe Fletcher went farther than multiple All-Pro Williams at DT.

If I had my way, Ellard would be part of the Class Of 2023 but he wont go farther. Center Nalen continues to be denied like other players in the trenches ...

im baffled as well brian as why they would take london fletcher over williams at all

rewing84 wrote: why they would take london fletcher over williams at all

Stats. He has, for his position, similar sacks, FF, tackles, INTs as some others
so, therfore, he's a HOFer.

I like stats as much as the next guy, but I also like to put at least some trust
in the "honors" system.

To me--it is a little like Ken Riley. Now both Riley and Fletcher were
2nd team All-pro a couple times each and Riley got a First-team
as well. But neither were ever voted to an Pro Bowl team (Fletch went
as a replacement player 4 times).

And for whatever reason stats are outweighing honors a little bit.
Williams was not a sacker--and that makes him less noticeable.

In my mind, for me, I like to see scouts' takes mixed in, the kind
of quotes you could find in Joel Buschbaum's writings.

I think usually it is a mix of a lot of factors, but it seems the
a pendulum is swinging to the stats side and if I read this room
right we like a balance between stats and hnors and rings and
maybe quotes and some intangibles.

Also, don't think Fletcher will make top 15 either, but still,
this is a little bit like Ken Riley and his excellent stats.

But--of course, could be wrong.

ChrisBabcock wrote:My take on the 5 first year eligibles...
Joe Thomas: a slam dunk this year
Jahri Evans: I think belongs but may have to wait a year or two.
Darelle Revis: Will get in. Possibly this year. But am I the only one who saw about 4 years of greatness and then HoVG level play as he bounced around the league?
Dwight Freeney: I'm on the fence whether he belongs but will eventually be enshrined because... Sacks!
James Harrison: No. Unless he gets credit for having an interesting personality and being in commercials.

Agree with this take to a degree

Thomas, Revis, and Freeney will make Final 15
and Thomas and Revis will make top 10
and Thomas and Revis will make it.
However, of the 2 Thomas is more of a
lock then Revis. Would predict both
but sometimes players who are expected
to go first ballot just miss it...sometimes
the queue will slow a guy.

Darren Woodson and Torry Holt have the most semifinal nominations without getting elected, this year. Can either or both finally break through ? I am pulling for Woodson but wouldnt be surprised if a non-receiver like Hester gets elected over all the other receivers, including Holt and Ellard. Woodson should be the next safety in line but counting seniors, alot have been elected recently.

Freeney has the sacks, accolades and championship to be elected but is overrated by many people. Yes, his tackle numbers are bad but with the Colts having a great early-2000s offense that has put three members into the HOF, with Wayne trying to be the fourth, Freeney's job was to disrupt opposing offenses in their backfields and help protect scoring leads, which he did as well as any DE of his era with his teammate, Mathis also getting to the passer. They will cancel each other out but I feel Freeney will get elected by the time Julius Peppers becomes eligible.

My HOF Class Of 2023

Wishlist

D Woodson
Ellard
Z Thomas
Ware
A Lewis

Prediction

J Thomas
Z Thomas
Allen
Ware
R Barber

The cases I'm most interested in advancing on this list are Boldin and Barber. I don't expect either to get in this year. I expect Barber to be a finalist but I think hes more likely to get in next year.

Last year showed just how unpredictable the voters could be but my predictions are

Joe Thomas
Ware
Revis
Holt or Wayne(got to start clearing the WR backlog that's coming)
Hester

I put Hester because I thought he was a no brainer last year but I realize he's a divisive case. If they don't pick him I'd predict they pick a DE likely Freeney(I think both Allen and Mathis are better statistically than Freeney but Freeney made the All Decade team). Peppers is coming next year so a DE this year makes sense before it starts getting crowded.As someone whose passionate about Simeon Rices case that backlog getting cleared is pretty important because hes not getting seriously looked at until this whole group is inducted. Think them picking a WR is more likely if they're already taking Ware.

Zack Thomas wouldn't surprise me given the voters tendancy to reward waiting the longest. To get as far as he did as often as he did the voters clearly think hes a Hall of Famer(kind of like Boselli last year). But I never had him as a top 5 player on shallower ballots. Not that being one of the 5 best players matters(god forbid) but the voters have more options than ever and they didn't pick Thomas before.