SI Predicts NFL Hall of Famers for All 32 Teams
Not recognizing greatness as it unfolds in front of you? Perhaps the greatest sin in fandom.
This Saturday, the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class is being inducted. It’s a moment to reflect on the best we’ve ever seen touch the gridiron.
But looking across the league, who is most likely to end up in Canton, Ohio? We took stock of all 32 teams and tried to predict who will one day have a bust in the Hall.
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Now, two ground rules have to be established. The player must be currently signed to a roster. Also, we’re listing only one player per team, not trying to identify every future Hall of Famer.
All right, let’s get to the list.
Arizona Cardinals
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Our pick: Budda Baker, S
Baker is the only answer for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray hasn’t done nearly enough early in his career to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, and the rest of the roster is underwhelming. Baker, 27, is already a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro. He’s a good bet with a few more excellent seasons.
Atlanta Falcons
Our pick: Calais Campbell, DE
Campbell is a fascinating case. The 36-year-old is a three-time All-Pro and member of the Hall of Fame’s 2010s All-Decade Team. However, most defensive linemen who get into Canton have enormous sack figures, and Campbell has 99 for his career, with only two double-digit campaigns. He’ll be a worthy candidate.
Baltimore Ravens
Our pick: Mark Andrews, TE
Some might argue for Lamar Jackson or Odell Beckham Jr. here, but Andrews is the best candidate, considering his accolades. While Jackson’s 2019 season was special, he’s made only one additional Pro Bowl with no other awards. Andrews has earned three Pro Bowl berths along with being a first-team All-Pro in ’21.
Michael Fabiano’s fantasy take: Andrews, who has scored the second-most fantasy points among tight ends in the past four years, ranks second behind Travis Kelce heading into the 2023 draft.
Buffalo Bills
Our pick: Von Miller, edge
Miller could retire tomorrow, and he’d walk into the Hall of Fame. The only question is whether he’d go in on the first ballot. Miller has won two Super Bowls and notched 123.5 sacks, 19th all time on the official list and tops among active players. He’s also an All-Decade performer with three first-team All-Pro credits to his name.
Carolina Panthers
Our pick: Brian Burns, edge
Frankly, this was a tough one. The Panthers don’t have anybody remotely close to reaching the Hall of Fame, so we went with a young player who has earned a few awards. Burns is only 25 years old and is coming off consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with 21.5 combined sacks.
Chicago Bears
Our pick: Tremaine Edmunds, LB
Again, one of the tougher teams to find a good answer, but Edmunds comes to the Bears with two Pro Bowl berths. At 25 years old, he has a chance to become one of the dominant linebackers of his era, holding up the Monsters of the Midway mantle.
Cincinnati Bengals
Our pick: Joe Burrow, QB
Outside of Patrick Mahomes, Burrow is the best quarterback in football. At 25 years old, the Bengals’ quarterback has reached a Super Bowl, gone to a Pro Bowl and thrown 82 touchdown passes over 42 regular-season games. If Burrow can stay healthy, he looks to be on his way.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Burrow is on the fast track to Canton, and he’s also averaged more than 20 combined fantasy points over the past two seasons.
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Cleveland Browns
Our pick: Myles Garrett, edge
Garrett has a chance to be a first-ballot vote to Canton. In six seasons with the Browns, the No. 1 pick has amassed 74.5 sacks, including five consecutive double-digit years. A four-time All-Pro at just 27 years old, Garrett could eventually rank among the top 10 in all-time sacks.
Dallas Cowboys
Our pick: Zack Martin, G
Martin is one of the few players who already has done enough to be enshrined. The Cowboys’ star guard has totaled eight Pro Bowls and six first-team All-Pro berths in nine seasons, along with a mention on the 2010s All-Decade Team. Along with John Hannah, Steve Hutchinson, Gene Upshaw, Will Shields and a few select others, Martin is one of the greatest guards in NFL history.
Denver Broncos
Our pick: Russell Wilson, QB
It’s easy to mock Wilson after what was a disastrous first year with the Broncos. However, he’s a Super Bowl champion with nine Pro Bowls to his credit, along with a second-team All-Pro in 2019. The big question is whether that’ll enough for a list that is going to become increasingly backlogged with quarterbacks featuring huge stats.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Wilson is coming off a down season from a fantasy standpoint, but he had been a top-10 fantasy quarterback for the majority of his career while in Seattle. He’ll be a bounce-back candidate with new coach Sean Payton calling the shots.
Detroit Lions
Our pick: Penei Sewell, OT
While Frank Ragnow would also be a reasonable choice, we’re going with Sewell, because tackles historically have a better chance to get into the Hall. Additionally, Sewell is only 22 years old, and he reached his first Pro Bowl last season. Sewell is looking to continue fulfilling his first-round pick potential.
Green Bay Packers
Our pick: David Bakhtiari, OT
This was a tough call between Jaire Alexander and Bakhtiari, but we’re going with the latter. While Alexander is younger, Bakhtiari is a five-time All-Pro who, if he can stay healthy for a few seasons, has a chance to put together an incredible résumé. It’s no given, but Bakhtiari has a chance to be a strong candidate.
Houston Texans
Our pick: Laremy Tunsil, OT
At 29 years old, Tunsil is a three-time Pro Bowler without a first- or second-team All-Pro selection. He’s also played on bad teams throughout his career. That’s typically not the arc for a Hall of Famer, but there’s nobody else in the conversation with the Texans. If anybody from Houston’s roster is going to get there, it’s either Tunsil or an unheralded youngster.
Indianapolis Colts
Our pick: Quenton Nelson, G
Nelson is the easy choice with the Colts, despite the presence of DeForest Buckner and Shaq Leonard. Although Indianapolis’s line was horrible last season, Nelson continued dominating, making his fifth Pro Bowl in as many years. He’s also a four-time All-Pro, including three first-team selections. Nelson’s not there yet, but he is off to a fantastic start.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Our pick: Trevor Lawrence, QB
On a young Jaguars team, there’s nobody with a strong case yet. However, Lawrence appears to be getting off the ground in a major way. Last year, he threw for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season. Lawrence will need All-Pros, MVPs and rings to really strengthen his case. Time will tell.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Lawrence is my favorite breakout quarterback for the upcoming season, especially with the addition of Calvin Ridley in a loaded passing game. In fact, he’s ranked among my top eight players at the position. Safe to say 4,000-plus yards and 30 touchdowns are well within reach.
Kansas City Chiefs
Our pick: Patrick Mahomes, QB
Have you been watching football the past five years? Enough said.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Mahomes could go down as the greatest fantasy quarterback in NFL history once his career is all said and done. He proved last season he doesn’t need an elite wide receiver to put up bonkers numbers, either. That will be put to an even greater test in 2023, too.
Las Vegas Raiders
Our pick: Davante Adams, WR
Six consecutive Pro Bowls, three consecutive first-team All-Pro honors and four years out of five with at least 1,300 receiving yards. That is the résumé of Adams, who has become one of the elite receivers in football. Even in an era of exploding passing stats, Adams stands as someone worthy of a gold jacket.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Adams scored more than 300 PPR points in three of his past four years, including his first season with the Raiders (and without Aaron Rodgers), when he posted 335.5. The quarterback position in Vegas has some question marks heading into 2023, but Adams remains a top-end fantasy wideout heading into drafts.
Los Angeles Chargers
Our pick: Khalil Mack, Edge
There are very real arguments for Mack to get into the Hall of Fame—and to be kept out. On one side, Mack is an All-Decade defender who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and has four All-Pro berths to his credit. However, Mack has just 84.5 sacks, has never won a playoff game and was dominant for only a four-year stretch. Tough call.
Los Angeles Rams
Our pick: Aaron Donald, DT
Donald is the best defensive player of his era. In nine seasons, he has never missed the Pro Bowl and has a staggering seven first-team All-Pro berths to his credit. He was also the best player on a Super Bowl team and, despite playing inside while being double-teamed his entire career, owns 103 sacks.
Miami Dolphins
Our pick: Tyreek Hill, WR
Hill is arguably the most electrifying weapon in recent NFL history. Through seven seasons with the Chiefs and Dolphins, he is a four-time first-team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion. He has amassed 8,340 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns, putting him in the conversation for 12,000 yards and 100 touchdowns before retirement, something only nine players have done.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Hill has scored 296-plus PPR points in each of his last four full years, including three seasons with more than 328. He also had his best fantasy campaign in 2022, posting more than 1,700 yards and a career-high 347.2 points. He’ll be a top-eight pick in drafts.
Minnesota Vikings
Our pick: Justin Jefferson, WR
It’s early, but only three seasons into his career Jefferson has the look of an all-timer. He’s been named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler each year, with 2022 being his best. Helping the Vikings to a 13–4 mark, Jefferson totaled league highs in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809), earning Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Jefferson is coming off a massive season, posting nearly 370 fantasy points. He’s the consensus No. 1 pick heading into 2023 drafts, and continued success in the stat sheets will have him on the fast track to the Hall of Fame.
New England Patriots
Our pick: Matthew Judon, edge
He has considerable work to do, but Judon has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame. He’s never been an All-Pro but was named a Pro Bowler each of the last four years between Baltimore and New England. With 62.5 career sacks, Judon will need to have longevity as he enters his 30s.
New Orleans Saints
Our pick: Cameron Jordan, DE
Jordan has quietly been one of the league’s best defenders since being drafted in 2011. In 12 seasons with the Saints, Jordan has 115.5 sacks and eight Pro Bowl appearances, helping him earn a spot on the ’10s All-Decade Team. If he retired tomorrow, Jordan would have a terrific case to be enshrined in Canton.
New York Giants
Our pick: Saquon Barkley, RB
The Giants don’t have any clear-cut candidates, but Barkley comes close. Although running backs face a significant uphill climb, the first-round pick has already been named to two Pro Bowls while also winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. For Barkley, the key will be staying healthy after missing 22 games so far.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: It might be a little soon to put Barkley in Canton, but he has plenty of time to pad his numbers heading into his age-26 season. Coming off a solid, injury free 2023 campaign, Barkley is locked in as a top-20 pick and a top-10 running back in drafts.
New York Jets
Our pick: Aaron Rodgers, QB
Rodgers is one of the easiest calls. He’s a four-time MVP and a Super Bowl champion with 10 Pro Bowls to his name. Nobody would argue the fact that he’s a top-10 quarterback of all time, and he is still capable of playing at an elite level with age 40 approaching this autumn. He’ll certainly go in on the first ballot.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Rodgers has been one of the top quarterbacks in the world of fantasy football since taking over for Brett Favre in 2008. The question now is: Can the surefire Hall of Famer do something Favre (and many other quarterbacks) haven’t done in New York … throw for 4,000 yards and get the Jets deep into the postseason? We’ll see.
Philadelphia Eagles
Our pick: Jason Kelce, C
Very few centers have gone into the Hall of Fame, especially since the end of two-way players. However, Kelce is a near certainty to get into Canton. He’s a five-time first-team All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler who won the Super Bowl in 2017. If any modern center is ticketed for the Hall, it’s Kelce.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Our pick: Cam Heyward, DE
Heyward has enjoyed a tremendous career, and he’s only getting better with age. Despite playing on the interior, Heyward has authored three double-digit sack seasons while making the Pro Bowl each of the past six years. With four All-Pro selections to his name as well, Heyward should eventually find his way to Canton.
San Francisco 49ers
Our pick: Trent Williams, OT
Williams is the preeminent left tackle in football and has been for years. He’s a 10-time Pro Bowler who for years was the highest-paid player at his position. Despite being 35 years old, Williams remains dominant in both the pass and run game, showcasing why he’ll walk into Canton once he becomes eligible.
Seattle Seahawks
Our pick: Bobby Wagner, LB
Wagner was a second-round pick in 2012 out of Utah State and quickly became one of the league’s best linebackers. An ’10s All-Decade Team member, Wagner is also a Super Bowl champion and a six-time first-team All-Pro. After being released by the Seahawks and subsequently signing with the Rams in ’22, Wagner returned to Seattle this offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Our pick: Mike Evans, WR
Evans is the picture of consistency. In nine seasons with the Buccaneers, he has never failed to record a 1,000-yard season, while missing only eight games throughout his career. Evans has 10,425 receiving yards and 81 touchdowns, ranking fifth and second, respectively, among active players. It might not be immediate, but Evans should get into the Hall.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Evans has the numbers, and he’s won a Super Bowl. That sounds like a Hall of Famer to me. His value for 2023 is in real question, though, as he will be catching passes from Baker Mayfield and not Tom Brady. He’ll be more of a No. 3 fantasy wideout in drafts.
Tennessee Titans
Our pick: Derrick Henry, RB
Perhaps shockingly, Henry is not overwhelming from a statistical or accolades perspective. He’s been a first-team All-Pro only once and reached just three Pro Bowls. He also has recorded only three seasons of better than 1,100 rushing yards. Still, Henry has a 2,000-yard campaign to his credit and is the defining runner of his era.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: Henry will go down as one of the best workhorse running backs of this era, and he’s thrived as a fantasy option for much of his career. He scored 290-plus points in each of his past three full seasons, and he was on pace to do it in 2021 before getting hurt. Henry’s large workload is a concern, but he remains a top-20 pick in most drafts.
Washington Commanders
Our pick: Terry McLaurin, WR
McLaurin is off to a terrific start, averaging more than 1,000 receiving yards per season through four campaigns. However, he’s yet to play with an elite quarterback and is now paired with second-year man Sam Howell. If McLaurin can eventually play with a great signal-caller, he could become one of the league’s true household names.
Fabiano’s fantasy take: McLaurin has gone for 70-plus catches and more than 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, but some would suggest he still hasn’t hit his fantasy ceiling. He’s seen as a No. 2 wideout in fantasy drafts for 2023, but will Howell hurt or help his value?
