LogFAQs > #971980958

Alexander - No

It pains me to say no to Alexander. I wanted him the year he was drafted, but I was drafting in Fenny's stead. I felt like Alexander was the best pick for the Jets, so I took him for Fenny one or two spots before me when I was in charge of the Dolphins. Alexander was one of the main stars of the Fenny and early post-Fenny era Jets. He was never quite the two-way star he was always on the cusp of becoming, but he was very disruptive, especially with his absurd FF total. While I do agree that his impact was greater than his stats suggested (though his per 16 game sack total is very good for a DT), it just wasn't quite enough for me to call him a Hall of Famer.

Bryant - Yes

I expect people to look at his per 16 totals and be unimpressed and maybe even think Alexander was superior. I think he was one of the best two-way DTs that we've had. He began his career with the Bucs who back then were bleeding talent due to inactivity, and he ascended there pretty quickly, allowing that defense to keep them as a perennial playoff team. Then he went to the Packers where he continued making a big impact. The Packers D became a perennially great unit and the team went 29-19 with two division titles during his tenure. He then made his way to the Bears where while he may not have transformed that defense, he did perform to the tune of 142 tackles, 15 sacks, 3 FRs in two seasons there. He then went to the Rams for his final three seasons where they have pretty much been the league's best defense. His tackles went down (probably because the defense forced a lot of 3-and-outs and turnovers, but he did have 24 sacks and 4 FFs in three seasons. When you ask me what the ideal DT looks like, Bryant is near the top of my list.

Armstrong - No

While Armstrong had the luxury of a strong supporting cast for most of his career, that doesn't take away his personal accomplishments with comparable per 16 stats to Bryant and numerous Pro Bowl trips (as well as a Super Bowl title). It does muddle his impact some. That being said, looking at his year-by-year stats, he did seem to rise to the occasion when he graduated from one of the newer guys to one of the old guard. Even though his career and per 16 stats suggest it, he didn't seem to quite come up with a complete season. His 70 tackle, 12 sack (with no FFs or FRs) S11 looks vastly different from his seasons with more modest tackle and sack totals while typically averaging 2-ish FFs+FRs. He is definitely one of the better fringe cases, but I think I have to say no for now.

Abbate - Yes

Abbate, the former 206th overall pick, might be the prime example of an underrated career. From his draft origins to his three seasons as a backup before becoming a starter to his high level of play to his lack of recognition, I can't think of anyone else who had a more underrated and unheralded career off the top of my head. There's a lot of statistically comparable players that will be retiring in the coming seasons, so it's good for Abbate that he retired now as his line and averages (sans the sacks) look pretty sexy. That, his impact on a team that grew into an elite defense, and me being a sucker for a good story make his candidacy a clear yes to me.

Williams - Yes

His tackling may not jump out, but he ended up being what modern real-life teams look for in a pass-rushing OLB. On sacks alone, he will probably end up with one of the highest totals at the LB position in our league's history. Even though he did miss a little more time than the average OLB, his INT/FF/FR still managed to look fantastic. He was also one of the best players on the team during their SB-winning season in S6. It's a close call, but his prolific work as a pass-rusher at his position is the deciding factor in me saying yes.

Smith - Yes

He's not the first player that I have said this about since I introduced the Hall of Fame voting, but Smith was sort of a tale of two players. During his 49ers tenure, he infused much needed talent into a sad-looking secondary as he became a shutdown corner that helped turn their D around while still providing a healthy amount of INTs. When he went to Kansas City to finish off his career, he became less of a shutdown corner and more of a ballhawker with 14 of his 35 career INTs coming in those final three seasons. He finished with 35, which I believe is good for the second-most in B8NFLL history, and he had four trips to the Pro Bowl. He also never missed a game and would have joined Zach Miller as players who started every game possible if not for being relegated to slot corner duty in S15 (he still had 6 INTs and made the Pro Bowl).

Cox
Harper - No

I'm just going to lump these two together because I feel like if you say yes to one you kind of have to say yes to the other. We've been spoiled by some good SS play over the years, and Harper and Cox are arguably less accomplished than some recent candidates that I said no to in recent seasons (Michael Huff, Thomas Davis, and Jessie Daniels). Those three even have DB of the Year awards to their name, with Davis becoming the first DB to be named Defensive Player of the Year. I will say that both were more consistent than the aforementioned three and Harper's per 16 stats do jump out at me. I would have liked to see him play another two seasons to see where things shook out. I have no qualms if they are ultimately enshrined though, but I don't want to say yes to pretty much everyone, and these two are a fringe case that as I have said, I have also said no to in recent years.