Minnesota Vikings
Joey Browner, Safety
He'd probably be in the Hall of Fame if injuries hadn't cut his career short. He was one of the best defensive players in the league at the end of the 1980s.
Green Bay Packers
Lavvie Dilweg, End
Harrison has Brett Favre in this spot. That isn't quite right seeing as Favre isn't eligible. He will be in February but he isn't now. Jerry Kramer is probably the popular choice here but Dilweg has been waiting about 80 years. He was one of the best players during the first fifteen years of the league. He helped lead the Packers to three straight NFL titles, 1929-31. He was named to the NFL's 1920s All-Decade Team. He was named All-Pro five times. He's been waiting way too long.
Detroit Lions
Alex Karras, Defensive Tackle
Is Karras being blackballed for his 1963 gambling suspension? Who knows? Paul Hornung had the same crime, same penalty. He's in the Hall of Fame. Karras was one of the best defensive tackles in the league for a decade.
Chicago Bears
Wilber Marshall, Linebacker
I always thought that Marshall was a very underrated player on the great Bears defenses of the 1980s. Maybe if he'd played more than four of his 12 NFL seasons with the Bears. He was great with the Washington Redskins. He was better with the Bears.
New York Giants
Carl Banks, Linebacker
Like Marshall with the Bears, Banks was very underrated with the Giants. Both played on great defenses. Both were big reasons for those great defenses. Banks had the good fortune and misfortune of playing on a position group with Lawrence Taylor.
Washington Redskins
Jerry Smith, Tight end
I agree with Harrison on this one. Smith was one of the first great receiving tight ends. The position used to call for a blocker first. Smith was one of the players that changed that silly notion.
Philadelphia Eagles
Pete Retzlaff, Tight end
Like Smith with the Redskins, Retzlaff was a pass-catching tight end before tight ends really started catching passes. He didn't play his entire career at tight end. He spent some time as and end and as a back. It didn't matter where he lined up, he caught a lot of passes in his career.
Dallas Cowboys
Cornell Green, Defensive back
Green spent 13 years with the Cowboys. He was there for the rough early days of the expansion Cowboys. He was there when the team was an annual title contender. He was great throughout. Five Pro Bowls. Three-time All-Pro.
New Orleans Saints
Sam Mills, Linebacker
Mills simply turned his teams into winners. He joined a Saints team that never won consistently in their existence and they were soon playing in the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons
Tommy Nobis, Linebacker
Nobis might be in the Hall of Fame already if he hadn't played in era that included Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke. Nobis was the face of the expansion Falcons for about a decade.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
John Lynch, Safety
It's probably only a matter of time before Lynch is in the Hall of Fame. It feels like he's been on the verge of making it for a couple of years. He was an integral part of the great Buccaneers defenses. Sadly, I don't think that Hall of Fame voters know how to handle safeties. There are a few on this list.
Carolina Panthers
Kevin Greene, Linebacker
Greene spent more time with other teams. He was a game-changer with all of them. He should be in the Hall of Fame soon.
San Francisco 49ers
Bruno Banducci, Guard
If Banducci hadn't played half of his career in the All-America Football Conference he might be in the Hall of Fame. Even in his era, it's amazing that he could dominate at just under 6' and just over 200 pounds. He was great.
St. Louis Rams
Eddie Meador, Safety
The Rams defensive line of the 1960s received so much attention that it was easy to forget about the solid play of Meador in the secondary. Six Pro Bowls. 1960s All-Decade team. 46 career interceptions.
Arizona Cardinals
Pat Harder, Fullback
The Cardinals haven't had many bright moments. Their "glory years" were the late 1940s. They played for the NFL Championship in 1947 and 1948. Winning in 1948. Harder was part of the Cardinals "Dream Backfield" that sparked those teams. Charley Trippi is the only one of the four that is honored in Canton. Harder should join him.
Seattle Seahawks
Kenny Easley, Safety
Like Joey Browner, Easley's career was cut short by injuries. Easley's career was cut even shorter. He was the best safety in the game in the early 1980s. He looked like he was going to be one of the all-time greats. For a short time he was.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Donnie Shell, Safety
Shell might have been the forgotten player on the great Steelers defenses of the 1970s. He shouldn't be. He played on all four Super Bowl teams and was a major contributor on the last two.
Baltimore Ravens
Chris McAlister, Cornerback
The Cleveland Browns regrettable move to Baltimore hacked up the histories of two franchises. The Ravens are really the Browns of old. The Browns we know today are an expansion team whose connection to a grand past is in name only. McAlister was a great corner on a great defense.
Cleveland Browns
Mac Speedie, Receiver
Speedie was a game-breaking receiver for the Browns in their All-America Football Conference days of the 1940s and their early NFL days. He should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame a long time ago.
Cincinnati Bengals
Ken Anderson, Quarterback
If Paul Brown had hired Bill Walsh to succeed him as the Bengals coach in 1976 we might be talking about Anderson like we do Joe Montana. Anderson was a terrific quarterback.
New York Jets
Gerry Philbin, Defensive end
The Jets team that shocked the Colts in Super Bowl III wasn't just about Joe Namath. They had a really good defense too. Philbin was a big reason for that.
Buffalo Bills
Tom Sestak, Defensive tackle
The Bills of the mid-1960s had a dominant defense. A defense that led the team to back-to-back titles in 1964 and 1965. Sestak was named All-AFL in each of his seven seasons.
New England Patriots
Ty Law, Cornerback
Law seems to be forgotten but he was a big reason for the Patriots three titles at the beginning of this century. He had a remarkable 53 career interceptions.
Miami Dolphins
Jake Scott, Safety
Nick Buoniconti is the only defensive player from the Dolphins Super Bowl teams in the Hall of Fame. That sure proves their "No Name Defense" tag. That was a very good defense. A case can be made that Scott should join Buoniconti in Canton. 49 interceptions. 5 Pro Bowls. Twice named All-Pro. MVP of Super Bowl VII.
Indianapolis Colts
Bobby Boyd, Cornerback
Boyd was one of the best cornerbacks of the 1960s. He was named to the 1960s All-Decade team. He collected 57 interceptions.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tony Boselli, Tackle
The first ever draft pick of the Jaguars. He was a great place for a new football team to start as he locked down the left side of the line for the next seven years. Five Pro Bowls in those seven seasons. Three All-Pros. He was also the first pick of the Houston Texans in the expansion draft but he was about done by then.
Tennessee Titans
Robert Brazile, Linebacker
Brazile was an outstanding linebacker for the Houston Oilers. He was one of the best linebackers in the league for most of his ten-year career. He was selected for the Pro Bowl from 1976-82.
Houston Texans
The Texans are too young to have a player eligible for the Hall of Fame. About five years after his retirement Andre Johnson will be part of the discussion. If he keeps up his current level of play J.J. Watt will be an automatic, slam-dunk, first-ballot Hall of Famer. He might not even have to wait five years.
Denver Broncos
Terrell Davis, Running back
He should be in. Simple as that. Davis is another player that had his career cut short by injury. In the time that he had he put in Hall of Fame work. He was the best back in the game at the end of the 1990s.
Kansas City Chiefs
Johnny Robinson, Safety
He should be in. He was an impact player for a dynamite Chiefs defense. 57 interceptions. Seven Pro Bowls. Six-time All-Pro. He was one of the best football players in the AFL.
Oakland Raiders
Ken Stabler, Quarterback
It's so unfortunate that his recent death might the thing that gets Stabler in the Hall of Fame. There's been more talk about his candidacy in recent weeks than the last several decades. He was one of the best quarterbacks of the 1970s. The equal of, if not better than, several that are in the Hall.
San Diego Chargers
John Jefferson, Receiver
This is based solely on his first three years in the league. Jefferson exploded on the pro football world much like Odell Beckham Jr. did last year. Breath-taking catches. Jaw-dropping athleticism. If only he could have spent his entire career with Dan Fouts. He'd probably be in the Hall of Fame.
Of the above 32 players, I feel that these are the five most deserving of induction:
1. Lavvie Dilweg, End, Green Bay Packers
2. Alex Karras, Defensive tackle, Detroit Lions
3. Mac Speedie, Receiver, Cleveland Browns
4. Johnny Robinson, Safety, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Terrell Davis, Running back, Denver Broncos
Those five players have waited about a combined 250 years for their much-deserved induction.
Jake Scott, Safety
Nick Buoniconti is the only defensive player from the Dolphins Super Bowl teams in the Hall of Fame. That sure proves their "No Name Defense" tag. That was a very good defense. A case can be made that Scott should join Buoniconti in Canton. 49 interceptions. 5 Pro Bowls. Twice named All-Pro. MVP of Super Bowl VII.
Indianapolis Colts
Bobby Boyd, Cornerback
Boyd was one of the best cornerbacks of the 1960s. He was named to the 1960s All-Decade team. He collected 57 interceptions.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tony Boselli, Tackle
The first ever draft pick of the Jaguars. He was a great place for a new football team to start as he locked down the left side of the line for the next seven years. Five Pro Bowls in those seven seasons. Three All-Pros. He was also the first pick of the Houston Texans in the expansion draft but he was about done by then.
Tennessee Titans
Robert Brazile, Linebacker
Brazile was an outstanding linebacker for the Houston Oilers. He was one of the best linebackers in the league for most of his ten-year career. He was selected for the Pro Bowl from 1976-82.
Houston Texans
The Texans are too young to have a player eligible for the Hall of Fame. About five years after his retirement Andre Johnson will be part of the discussion. If he keeps up his current level of play J.J. Watt will be an automatic, slam-dunk, first-ballot Hall of Famer. He might not even have to wait five years.
Denver Broncos
Terrell Davis, Running back
He should be in. Simple as that. Davis is another player that had his career cut short by injury. In the time that he had he put in Hall of Fame work. He was the best back in the game at the end of the 1990s.
Kansas City Chiefs
Johnny Robinson, Safety
He should be in. He was an impact player for a dynamite Chiefs defense. 57 interceptions. Seven Pro Bowls. Six-time All-Pro. He was one of the best football players in the AFL.
Oakland Raiders
Ken Stabler, Quarterback
It's so unfortunate that his recent death might the thing that gets Stabler in the Hall of Fame. There's been more talk about his candidacy in recent weeks than the last several decades. He was one of the best quarterbacks of the 1970s. The equal of, if not better than, several that are in the Hall.
San Diego Chargers
John Jefferson, Receiver
This is based solely on his first three years in the league. Jefferson exploded on the pro football world much like Odell Beckham Jr. did last year. Breath-taking catches. Jaw-dropping athleticism. If only he could have spent his entire career with Dan Fouts. He'd probably be in the Hall of Fame.
Of the above 32 players, I feel that these are the five most deserving of induction:
1. Lavvie Dilweg, End, Green Bay Packers
2. Alex Karras, Defensive tackle, Detroit Lions
3. Mac Speedie, Receiver, Cleveland Browns
4. Johnny Robinson, Safety, Kansas City Chiefs
5. Terrell Davis, Running back, Denver Broncos
Those five players have waited about a combined 250 years for their much-deserved induction.
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