Depending on the age of the player this isn’t set in stone, the player might not be Hall of Fame material yet.Â, Give it time- There are a lot of young players in the league that could have a future in Canton, but it is too early to say. He actually broke the record for receptions in a single season. If Anderson isn’t in the Hall of Fame, Stabler shouldn’t be either. Brady is a first-ballot Hall of Famer no if, ands or buts about it. Might Ryan Fitzpatrick join Bill Belichick in New England? The reason why he gets no love is that he plays in Tampa Bay who is never on primetime games and doesn’t put up huge numbers. He has led the league in receptions the past two years and this past season Thomas won Offensive Player of the Year leading the league in receptions and receiving yards. More than that, Allen's high motor is damn near legendary. Just missed the cut- Some veteran players just aren’t Hall of Famers. The World Golf Hall of Fame says… “The process is governed by a Selection Commission made up of 16 individuals who will be responsible for electing individuals into the Hall of Fame. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. He played extremely well as soon as he entered the league in 2015 winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, going to the Pro Bowl and being a Second Team All-Pro. If Jenkins gets a third ring, he will no doubt he a Hall of Famer. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 26 finalists for their 2017 class today. But there is a valid case for Gronkowski to be considered the greatest tight end of all time. What about once-elite receiver Antonio Brown? Finding a spot for Steve Sabol should be a slam dunk. Schaub was never considered one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. Now Keuchly is a scout with the Panthers and when it is his time will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. After getting waived by the Giants, the Saints picked him up to bolster their secondary. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. It will be a few years before some of the players develop into stars. If Ryan wins another MVP, makes a few more Pro Bowls and/or gets named an All-Pro a few more times it will go a long way to ensure his place in the Hall of Fame. Of those two single-digit years, one was his rookie campaign (Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas and many of the greatest 3-4 OLBs failed to get 10 sacks their first year), and the other came during an injury-plagued season. A shoulder injury ultimately did him in, thus ending a brilliant career after seven seasons. McCaffrey was named an All-Pro at running back and as a flex in 2019. Commentators have fallen in love with the term running back by committee. Some of the major players from that Super Bowl team are still on the roster and could be Hall of Famers when they decide to retire. But Short has not done much since. However, he has only been an All-Pro once in 2017. Keuchly was one of two of the best linebackers in football for a couple of years now (Bobby Wagner). This guy was a tackling machine, the Ronnie Lott of the AFC. There are not many players who can say they have been large contributors for three different Super Bowl teams. If he keeps this up he will be very likely to be in the Hall of Fame one day. The injuries don’t help either, they have given Gurley less time to show how good of a player he is. It's not like James stopped running after two years, either. His touchdown production is great but the truth of the matter is that it is near impossible for a modern-day running back to make the Hall of Fame considering shelf life and the standard set by the all-time greats. 1. With the COVID-19 pandemic eliminating workouts from the NFL Scouting Combine, pro days are taking center stage in the pre-draft process. Although Denver fell short that day, don't blame the defense. He was a Pro Bowler in 2015, First Team All-Pro in 2013 and Second Team All-Pro in 2016. Defensive specialists don’t get enough credit when it comes time for Hall-of-Fame voting, unless they win six rings like Scottie Pippen, and Paul Silas is a prime example.A total beast of a defender and a rebounder during his entire career, going back to his time at Creighton, Silas averaged 9.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for his 16 seasons in the Association. Kramer was one of the top linemen in his era, and in 1969, Hall of Fame voters named him the best guard in the first 50 years of the NFL. Zach Thomas. Megatron was often all Detroit had, and still he scared opponents more than any player in the NFL during his prime. Pearson spent his entire career with the Cowboys. Which premier player should be a trade target for CB-needy teams? Atwater averaged nearly 150 tackles per season from 1989 to 1993, while making the Pro Bowl or All-Pro from Years 2 to 8. Besides the offensive players, no one benefited more from Brady signing with the Buccaneers than David because now people will watch and realize how good of a player he really is. A player could play at a high level for an extended player of time, they could even be one of the best in franchise history at their position. Mike Giardi provides an inside look at New England's quarterback conundrum. Or, given the sport Mr. Sabol loved, a quarterback sneak from the one-inch line. Unfortunately, his name will have to be snuck onto a ballot through the "Contributor" category. Looking like it: Cameron Jordan, Michael Thomas, Malcolm Jenkins, Sean Payton, Just missed the cut: Alvin Kamara, Emmanuel Sanders, Janoris Jenkins, Jared Cook, Terron Armstead. Best NFL Players Not in the Hall of Fame When you think of the great quarterbacks of the 1970s, Terry Bradshaw is the first name to spring to mind. He also holds a lot of Houston Texans franchise passing records. He was a Pro Bowler for seven straight out of eight seasons. He has played with the past two sack leaders the past two seasons (Aaron Donald, Shaquil Barrett). James wasn't just a workhorse, he was like the teams of Clydesdales tromping in the snow in those 1980s beer commercials. Emmanuel Sanders has been a part of a lot of great teams. Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter @HarrisonNFL. However, David is a great cover linebacker and a tackling machine. Tom Pelissero spotlights a dozen players who could get more money than you think. It seems like once a veteran plays at an elite level for a large period of time, he gets recognition for his high level of play on a yearly basis, and/or appears in Super Bowls or multiple playoff games they are deemed to be ‘future Hall of Famers.