'The most underappreciated player of our generation'

*waits patiently for someone to give Edgar Martinez credit for prime years wasted playing in an inferior league*

 

I would have no problem if Taylor made it in.

I think Martin and Bettis will get in soon. After that happens, other than LaDainian Tomlinson, there isn't a rock, solid lock among running backs for a long time. There are about 5-6 who I would have no problem if they made it in and no problem if they didn't. It will be very interesting to see how the voters determine which get in and which don't.

 

On talent, I would expect Peterson to be in someday.

 

The one I wrestle with is Shaun Alexander.

The guy has 112 touchdowns. He had five monster seasons with 14 or more touchdowns each time. Obviously, he had the MVP and record season where he had 26 TDs.

Taylor and Martin never had more than 14 touchdowns in a season.

I still say no way does he get in...

 

Running backs can hit the wall and fall off the face of the earth, seemingly overnight, but I would be very surprised if Peterson doesn't last long enough to make it to Canton.

 

Stephen Jackson has a decent shot as well. He already has 10,000+ yards from scrimmage and is just 27. Granted he has already had a high usage and last year could be a sign he is already beginning to fall off but again he is just 27 and the offense may finally be able to give him some help with Bradford.

He is currently at 7,948 rushing yards. He should, even if he is falling off already, be able to have two 1,000 yard seasons left with the help of a passing game finally. That gets him to 10,000 before the age of 30. Add in he has been an very good receiver and he will probably be around 14,000 in two years. That gets him into the top 25. If he does anything in his early 30s he will be top 10 in total yardage for RBs.

 

Alexander doesn't have the postseason success (Super Bowl ring), and the NFL Hall tends to weigh that really heavily. I also think he's seen more as a "right place, right time" kind of guy who had to wait for an opportunity vs. someone who was a great player. Like Priest Holmes, kind of; the peak wasn't great enough to compensate for a shorter career. Both also fell off the face of the Earth pretty quick.

 

For qbs definitely...running backs get somewhat of a pass. Simpson, Thomas, Sanders, Campbell, Little come to mind quickly. Payton would have waltzed in regardless, but the ring was a nice crown. Tomlinson will get in as well

However, the fact that he vanished after his MVP season will hurt.

 

Not that I necessarily disagree but why? He's big and has speed. When the speed goes he will still be big.

I can see him breaking down physically, not in that he can't do it anymore but in that he won't be healthy. He has an injury history and has averaged 320 carries the past three seasons. Very few backs have lasted more than 5 years when averaging 300+ carries.

 

A thing working in Peterson's favor is that the Vikings are pretty good about limiting his touches. No leg-shredding 375-carry seasons for him.

 

Sarcasm? He had 363 carries in year two and has more carries than anyone in the last three years.

 

I agree with this. Two years of playing with Favre could add another year to his career because he didn't get beat up the way he would have if he was the only offensive threat they had and they had to do to him what the Chiefs did to Larry Johnson.