Who are the current NFL players who should be first-ballot HOF? How exclusive should that be?

[Trotsky]

I was having this discussion with a friend earlier about how nominally exclusive first ballot HOF entries should be. That is, with players that are obvious HOF locks, who should be made to wait until their second year of eligibility and that time in line should be a factor in older players getting the bump in consideration.

The way I see it, the only sure-fire first ballots in the league currently would be:

1. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
2. Joe Thomas, OT, Browns
3. Julius Peppers, DE, Panthers
4. Darrelle Revis, CB, Chiefs

Beyond that, there are others who are very close, like
5. Drew Brees, QB, Saints
6. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals
7. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
8. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
9. Adrian Peterson, RB, Cardinals

And, beyond those six, I think that second-year eligibility is (currently) more appropriate, such as:
10. Von Miller, OLB, Broncos
11. JJ Watt, DE, Texans
12. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers

This excludes recently retired first-ballots like Demarcus Ware and Steve Smith.

 

[ens189]

No to Revis and Watt.

 

[DLX]

Clay Matthews.

 

[MMAViewer]

Jason Wiiten would be in the top 5 of my list for 1st ballot guys.
Also are you putting Peterson at 9 for his behaivior? I would agree he should have to wait til his second year of eligibility for that reason.
Id also put Gronk and Gates in there at the bottom above Watt and Miller.

 

[mjmj]

I don't follow football very close, but how is Aaron Rodgers not on the sure-fire list? He's widely regarded as perhaps the best QB to ever play, he seems to be a shoe in to me.

 

[Trotsky]

Jason Wiiten would be in the top 5 of my list for 1st ballot guys.
Also are you putting Peterson at 9 for his behaivior? I would agree he should have to wait til his second year of eligibility for that reason.
Id also put Gronk and Gates in there at the bottom above Watt and Miller.

No, I just don't see him as having as bona fide credentials as the top 4. The numbers weren't meant to be rankings really, outside of the group.

I totally forgot Witten and Gates. I completely agree.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

Brees is #3 all time in Yards and tied for 3rd (with Brady) in TDs.

He's probably going to be #1 in yards midway through next year and battling with Brady for #2 in TDs.

He lead the league in passing yards 7 times (including 5 5k yards seasons), and TDs 4 times. And he beat Peyton Manning to win his SB. He's over Thomas, Peppers and Revis.

 

[Execute]

Revis and Peppers above Rodgers? What is this trash?

 

[ens189]

Frank Gore?

 

[Corona]

My dawg Luke will be on that list in a few seasons if he doesn’t go into a coma before then.

 

[jrams]

T-Sizzle
Antonio Gates
Jahri Evans
James Harrison
Jason Peters

 

[Gregolian]

How are Rodgers and Brees in group two. Pure stats Brees is battling with Brady and isn't Rodgers one of the only guys in the league still playing to have more than one MVP award?

 

[Trotsky]

Brees is #3 all time in Yards and tied for 3rd (with Brady) in TDs.

He's probably going to be #1 in yards midway through next year and battling with Brady for #2 in TDs.

He lead the league in passing yards 7 times (including 5 5k yards seasons), and TDs 4 times. And he beat Peyton Manning to win his SB. He's over Thomas, Peppers and Revis.

Yeah, statistically Brees is in contention for greatest ever, no doubt. But I also think those stats are inflated by his situation and that his lack of postseason success kind of reflects that. GOAT consideration for that position demands a certain amount of accolades, and Brees has never won an NFL MVP award and only has one Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Joe Thomas has made the Pro Bowl in literally every year of his career, including his rookie season. And in 7 of those seasons, he was named the 1st team All-Pro. By his career's end, he'll have a pretty convincing argument for greatest LT to ever play the game.

You may be right about Brees being more accomplished than Peppers, but since Peppers entered the league, he's almost certainly the best player at his position (only player in the 100/10 club, just eclipsed 150 sacks). Meanwhile, Brees would seem to certainly lag behind Manning and Brady, and maybe behind Rodgers as well.

 

[jrams]

Yeah, statistically Brees is in contention for greatest ever, no doubt. But I also think those stats are inflated by his situation and that his lack of postseason success kind of reflects that.

 

[Gregolian]

I feel like Brees and Rodgers kinda get shat on a bit cause everyone looks at what Brady has done and forget... that dude and Montana/Young and Bradshaw are HUGE outliers.

 

[The Clinch]

Fitzgerald, Brady, Brees, Brown, and Rodgers for sure.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

Yeah, statistically Brees is in contention for greatest ever, no doubt. But I also think those stats are inflated by his situation and that his lack of postseason success kind of reflects that. GOAT consideration for that position demands a certain amount of accolades, and Brees has never won an NFL MVP award and only has one Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Joe Thomas has made the Pro Bowl in literally every year of his career, including his rookie season. And in 7 of those seasons, he was named the 1st team All-Pro. By his career's end, he'll have a pretty convincing argument for greatest LT to ever play the game.

You may be right about Brees being more accomplished than Peppers, but since Peppers entered the league, he's almost certainly the best player at his position (only player in the 100/10 club, just eclipsed 150 sacks). Meanwhile, Brees would seem to certainly lag behind Manning and Brady, and maybe behind Rodgers as well.

Drew Brees has played in 11 playoff games (Including his SB victory as an underdog to Peyton Manning).

In those 11 games He's completed 65.9% of passes for 3,539 yards, 24 TDs and 6 picks with QB rating of 100.7.

The lack of playoff success is because most of those years they had a shit defense.

Brees has also not had many great offensive players around him. The only standout receiver he had was Jimmy Graham for 4 year (Not going to count his rookie year where he had under 400 yards). And he won his SB before Graham was in the league.

If he people want to tout Brady as the GOAT because of his SB victories they can feel free but when Brees surpasses Manning in all of the counting stats I don't see how you can make the case for Manning over Brees. It's not like he was compiling stats either since he also has the highest completion percentage of all time.

And he's done all of that with less weapons.

 

[Gregolian]

Drew Brees has played in 11 playoff games (Including his SB victory as an underdog to Peyton Manning).

In those 11 games He's completed 65.9% of passes for 3,539 yards, 24 TDs and 6 picks with QB rating of 100.7.

The lack of playoff success is because most of those years they had a shit defense.

Brees has also not had many great offensive players around him. The only standout receiver he had was Jimmy Graham for 4 year (Not going to count his rookie year where he had under 400 yards). And he won his SB before Graham was in the league.

If he people want to tout Brady as the GOAT because of his SB victories they can feel free but when Brees surpasses Manning in all of the counting stats I don't see how you can make the case for Manning over Brees. It's not like he was compiling stats either since he also has the highest completion percentage of all time.

And he's done all of that with less weapons.

Less weapons and let's also remember the times Brees has gone to the playoffs he wasn't one and done about every time but the times he won a SB unlike Peycan.

 

[INeedARemedy]

Brees in Brady's position would have equal success. He's equally as talented mentally and physically

 

[Gregolian]

Brees in Brady's position would have equal success. He's equally as talented mentally and physically

Brees, Rodgers, throw Eli's name in there. Say any of them took Brady's spot they'd all have done just as well as Brady.

I have a Pats friend that I was talking to this weekend and he was like "people are calling Brady GOAT just cause he won a ton of SBs. I think Rodgers is, he's just been screwed by a moronic front office"