As this year’s inductees enjoy Hall of Fame Weekend and put the finishing touches on their enshrinement speeches, some analysts are already looking ahead to forecast who will join them next summer. According to one expert, Cowboys fans may want to start looking at travel arrangements to Canton, Ohio to witness one of their own receive his gold jacket.
NFL.com has made its predictions for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027’s modern-era players, with former tight end Jason Witten picked to not only make the Hall but also perhaps make history in the process.
Witten’s credentials make him a near shoo-in for the Hall, even though they weren’t quite enough to put him in this year, his first time being eligible. NFL.com’s Grant Gordon points out that Witten’s 16 seasons as a Cowboy (and one as a Raider) resulted in 11 Pro Bowl nods, tied for 17th-most across all positions. And, Gordon writes, “his 1,228 receptions (second all-time among tight ends), 13,046 yards (second), and 74 touchdown catches (sixth) are too prominent to ignore.”
It’s true, Gordon goes on, that “the Cowboys’ postseason struggles and being just a two-time first-team All-Pro could hinder him, but Witten was pivotal in the ascension of the position over the last quarter-century.”
Perhaps the bigger obstacle to Witten getting a bronze bust this time next year is the guy who played an even bigger role in the recent evolution of the do-it-all tight end. Rob Gronkowski is set to be Hall-eligible for the first time in 2027 and would seem to be a stone-cold lock to take the express lane to Canton.
Gordon believes Gronkowski also gets in, with running back Adrian Peterson, tackle Willie Anderson, and wide receiver Torry Holt rounding out the class.
But would voters really welcome two tight ends in the same year? It’s never happened before. Additionally, remember that players like Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne, Marshal Yanda, Richard Sherman, Andrew Whitworth, Terrell Suggs, and long-suffering Cowboys legend Darren Woodson will also be vying to get in. Current Hall rules limiting a modern-era class to just five players, therefore, would make it even harder to justify giving two of those spots to tight ends; faced with an either/or choice, the committee could easily pick Gronk over Witten.
If he does have to wait, Witten may have an easier time making the Class of 2028. While Tom Brady and J.J. Watt are practically guaranteed their places in the bust room on the first try, Witten would probably have a strong case over the likes of other first-year eligibles Matt Ryan, A.J. Green, and Ndamukong Suh.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys legend Jason Witten predicted to make Hall of Fame history with Class of 2027
Reporting by Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire | USA TODAY Network
