Projecting Future Hall of Famers

[Maulbert]

Bill Barnwell has an interesting new article on ESPN projecting every teams potential HoFers.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/pag...carolina-panthers-make-pro-football-hall-fame

Seattle Seahawks

1 to 10 percent: Jimmy Graham suffered a ruptured patella last season, an injury that holds the league's worst rate of long-term recovery. The injury has seemed to sap the athleticism of similarly scarred players. Graham's outlook has drastically changed over the past two years; he has gone from the prime of his career as the focal point of the Saints' offense to a question mark as just another part of the Seattle offense. ... Bobby Wagner might benefit from playing on a legendarily successful defense, or the success of others might cause voters to punish Seattle's middle linebacker. At this point, I'm not sure whether either is fair. ... Michael Bennett finally got his due as a Pro Bowler in 2015, but he turns 31 this year. His four-year breakout run hasn't been a historically notable peak, and Bennett won't have a long enough career to accumulate huge counting stats.

Russell Wilson could lose it overnight -- Colin Kaepernick seemed to -- but he's only getting better. He laid the running game arguments to rest last year, with Seattle's attack only kicking into high gear after Marshawn Lynch was injured and the Seahawks moved to more of a pass-friendly attack. It's far easier to imagine situations in which he keeps it up and makes the Hall of Fame than ones in which he slips and struggles to achieve greatness. 85 percent

Richard Sherman had four Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro awards in his back pocket before turning 28. He produces counting stats, having accumulated eight picks in consecutive seasons, and he has that legendary moment of picking off Kaepernick on the "sorry receiver" play in the NFC Championship Game. It would take a career-ending injury or a Nnamdi Asomugha-in-Philadelphia-esque sudden drop-off in play for Sherman to miss out on enshrinement. 90 percent

Earl Thomas is just that much better, having five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro awards before turning 27. The competition at safety isn't quite as intense as it is at cornerback, and Thomas is quietly more essential to what Seattle has done on defense in years past. It's a good competition to have, and it's the third guy on the Seattle roster who is all but guaranteed to make the Hall of Fame. 95 percent

I like that that he has a Wilson 20% higher than Cam, as it should be.

 

[Zebulon Dak]

Good read. Really cool stuff to think about. Thanks for sharing.

 

[King Dog]

I see a minimum of fifteen Hall of Famers on our present roster.

 

[Vetamur]

Sammy and I discussed this the other day..

we generally agreed:

Pete Carroll.. has a shot. Another SB win makes this happen..

Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas had really good odds. Lynch I think has a good chance, Sammy thinks hes a near lock.

Kam has an outside shot, but will see how it goes.

Dont think Graham, Bennett, etc make it however if Seattle stays the #1, #2 defense a few more times in the next 5 years SOMEONE else would likely make it.. Wagner?

 

[kearly]

I think for Bennett or Wagner to get there they'd need to have a legendary game winning play in a Superbowl to Eli Manning their way in. And even then that feels kinda dicey.

Graham can get there but it would require an unexpected return to form. Kam can get there if he returns to form.

I think Pete Carroll may as well be a lock. Spoiler alert, he's going to retire with more than one Lombardi. Even if he doesn't, he's still one of the most influential figures of the modern NFL era and his success in college will factor a little, kind of like Ichiro's hits in Japan or Warren Moon's completions in the CFL.

To me it's an upset if Marshawn Lynch isn't in, his reputation and legacy are legendary even to non-Seahawks fans. Decades from now scouts and talking heads will still be comparing physical RBs to Marshawn Lynch. By the time Lynch is being debated I think most people will realize that physical RBs very rarely put up his career totals. Relative to his comparable players, Lynch's career stats were nothing to be ashamed of, especially when factoring his numbers in the playoffs and that he played during a pass-happy era.

In two more years, assuming they play to their own standards, Wilson, Sherman, and Earl will be 100% locks.

The fun debate is Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett. Those guys have a lot of years left in the tank and it's very possible that we are entering an era of Seattle having a crazy good passing offense, like what the Patriots have had the past 9 years. Obviously they are nowhere near the HoF right now, but in five years they could very well be in the discussion legitimately if they are racking up pro-bowl bids every single year.

 

[kidhawk]

I think I agree with most that if their career paths stay on a trajectory anywhere near where they've been, Wilson, Thomas and Sherman are all HOF material. Carroll could make the Hall with the career he's had, but let's get him that 2nd Lombardi to seal the deal. As for Lynch, he should qualify but I think the voters will keep him out for awhile.

 

[chris98251]

Graham as a TE overall if he can put up adequate numbers for a few years, Wilson needs at least one more Super Bowl and stay consistent in his play in completion percentage and turnovers. Lynch for what he accomplished as a power back, our defense if they stay playing 4 more years together will have our big three in the secondary and Wagner, if Bennett stays maybe him as well, still need another Super Bowl win to lock this stuff up like 49ers and Steelers. Our wide receivers won't get in, as much as people dream of New Orleans 2.0 it won't happen, we don't draft three RB's to become a passing team, we go 50/50 at best.

 

[kearly]

Our wide receivers won't get in, as much as people dream of New Orleans 2.0 it won't happen, we don't draft three RB's to become a passing team, we go 50/50 at best.

For most teams in most situations, I would agree. I think the Seahawks and Cardinals are exceptions to this logic however.

Last year Seattle ran on 53.29% of their plays, 4th highest in the NFL. Despite this, their passing offense was still historically great in the second half of the season.

Arizona finished #2 in passing yards despite being above average (11th) in rush rate.

If you have an amazing offense you can run the ball a ton and still put up huge passing numbers to go with it. And the outlook for Seattle's offense the next several years is very, very bright.

Baldwin was snubbed badly for the pro-bowl last year but if he puts up those kinds of numbers regularly as Seattle's equivalent of Jordy Nelson, then he's got a lot of pro-bowl trips in his future. Lockett will have an even easier path to the pro-bowl due to his return skills and budding reputation.

 

[kearly]

Hats off to Barnwell for writing that article. Even though it's all off the top of his head, I can imagine the crazy number of hours it must have taken to evaluate the entire NFL in one article.

 

[Overseasfan]

I completely agree with his opinion. Wilson will have to continue to play like this for a few more years but he's definitely on HoF course. His completion percentage, TD-INT ratio and passer rating are all among the best in the league each and every year. Also important is that he has the highest winning percentage behind Tom Brady and he already has a ring.

ET and Sherm are both great candidates as well since they both are in the conversation for best at their position every year.

Next to these three I don't see anyone else making it at their current pace. Keep in mind that getting into the hall isn't an easy task and having 3 players of the same generation make it would already be a huge feat.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

I think he should have included Kam. Of course he needs a few more years at his 2013-2014 level, but there isn't a more feared defender in the game. In his potential HoF induction video you will see highlights of Vernon Davis cringing around him, Jimmy Graham running the wrong way to avoid the hit along with all of the alligaot arms WR develop in his vicinity.

The other big thing he has going, is his incredible playoff performances. Should've been SB MVP over Smith (IMO). He set the tone from that first hit on DT. He also had the pick and was incredible in coverage. Off the top of my head, He has the PFF playoff record for a safety with a ridiculous +30 grade over the 3 games. In 2014, that Carolina game was one of the most dominant performances of all time. Even last year in a down year, he still caused the AP fumble.

It's too bad he held out last year as I think it really affected his play and the rest of the team's. I do believe the D only surrendered like 12 ppg once he came back. He has been my favorite defender for a few years now and if he has 2 more years like 2013-2014 I think he's in, because if he plays like that, I think he wins at least 1 more SB.

 

[Tical21]

I love me some Kam, but I don't see him as one of the best players in the history of the NFL. Same with Wagner. Bennett got started being elite way too late.

Fred Couples getting into the golf HOF gives me hope for Marshawn. Freddy isn't in the hall of fame, his gorgeous swing is. Marshawn's style may get him in someday. It isn't going to be accomplishments though. He was only in the top-5 in the NFL in rushing once or twice, never won a rushing title, and was only considered really one of the best RB's in the league for about three years. There just isn't nearly enough there, and there is a pretty long list of RB's who had better stats that aren't in. Marshawn being Marshawn just may get him in though.