Is Edge a Hall of Famer?

[1DS]

I got into an interesting debate with some buddies tonight over a few cold ones. We were talking football, debating the best RB of all time and I shifted the conversation to Edge and whether or not he has hall of fame credentials.

Most of them initially said yes, noting how he is in around 15th on the all time career rushing list (espn.com says 13th currently). While that seems to be worthy - I know at least 7 of the guys in front of him are in - I think that stat greatly overstates his game and what he is/was able to bring to a team.

IMO, a hall of fame RB is an absolute game changer. Here are the rushers in front of Edge that I know are in. I'm pretty sure Dorsett is in, but too lazy to look it up right now.
1) Emmitt Smith
2) Walter Payton
3) Barry Sanders
6) Eric Dickerson
7) Tony Dorsett
8) Jim Brown
9) Marshall Faulk

Every one of those players was an electric game-changer. They could take over a game.

Edge, simply never was that type of back. MAYBE his first 2 or 3 years with the Colts prior to his knee injury he fit into that description. To his credit, Edge is very, very durable. More than any other RB I can remember. However, for the past 6 years or so Edge never was able to hit the home-run, long distance run. He has been 3 yards and a cloud of dust. His stats are greatly inflated and do not give a true and accurate representation of his ability. Yes, he consistently turns in 1,000+ yard seasons (except this year), but that is mostly due to the fact that he gets 300+ carries a year and takes 90% of the runs himself. Last year Edge had 324 attempts for 1,222 yards. Yet, the Cards ranked 29th in rushing YPG. Decent, but not Hall of Fame worthy numbers. Dating back to the year 2000, Edge's longest run went for 43 yards (2003). His longest run over the last 3 years only went for 27 yards. Those just are not Hall numbers to me. He has had a great career and he has earned every one of his yards the hard way, but to me he falls just short of Canton.


I'm sorry if I jumped around too much, but I've been talking football with friends for the last few hours.

 

[Kody]

yes.


put him on a team with a good o line and he'd still be a top back

 

[DoTheDew]

yes.


put him on a team with a good o line and he'd still be a top back

He'd be good still, but I wouldn't say he'd be a top back on any team when you consider the seasons Turner, Peterson, Portis, and others are having.

 

[Shane]

Yes

 

[ajcardfan]

Another 1,000 yard season and a Cardinals playoff berth would've made him a lock IMO. If this is how he finishes, I think he's a bit iffy. He would probably make it, but not on the first ballot. But, HOF selection has gotten pretty screwy. When Dan Hampton makes it easier than Art Monk (for just one example), you have to wonder what the hell those guys are thinking.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

I know Edge has had quite a bit longer career, but I might put TD above him as well. I think TD did quite a bit more in a much shorter period of time. Not Sure.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

By TD I mean Terrell Davis.

 

[Shogun]

Yes. Very much so.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

His team winning a SB the year after he left doesn't help him much.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Ottis Anderson should be in before Edge.

 

[English on tour]

Ottis Anderson should be in before Edge.

a very interesting point and one i agree with. Not to say Edge shouldnt but though.


next up...Stump Mitchell

 

[Chris_Sanders]

He is in the top 15 all time rushing. He will be in the Hall of Fame. He won't be a first ballot, but he will get in.

 

[Russ Smith]

no. He will be after he retires and is eligible but he's not now.

 

[Russ Smith]

I hesitate to compare him to Franco Harris because Franco was so notorious for running out of bounds to avoid contact and Edge doesn't do that, but he's at a similar point in his career. Franco stuck around too long.

Eddie George is another similar guy, at his peak he looked like a great RB but he fell off and stuck around way too long past his peak and sort of changed the perception people had of him.

I think Edge will be a HOF RB but the longer he sticks around at his current level of play, I think it actually detracts from his chances.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I hesitate to compare him to Franco Harris because Franco was so notorious for running out of bounds to avoid contact and Edge doesn't do that, but he's at a similar point in his career. Franco stuck around too long.

Eddie George is another similar guy, at his peak he looked like a great RB but he fell off and stuck around way too long past his peak and sort of changed the perception people had of him.

I think Edge will be a HOF RB but the longer he sticks around at his current level of play, I think it actually detracts from his chances.

agreed. ultimately, not being on a title winning team probably dings his chances a little bit as the HOF voters seem to take that into consideration as well.

 

[jefftheshark]

no. He will be after he retires and is eligible but he's not now.

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JTS

PS - I think the Eddie George comparison is spot on. I personally doubt that he gets in.

 

[nashman]

Yes.

 

[abomb]

Hall of Very Good.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You must be registered for see images

JTS

PS - I think the Eddie George comparison is spot on. I personally doubt that he gets in.

the Eddie George thing is REALLY similar. The only reason their stats will end up looking any different is because I believe Eddie George actually stayed in Columbus for all 4 years whereas Edge came out as a junior, thus getting the jump on him earlier in his career.

the fact that it took Art Monk forever to get into the HOF doesn't bode very welll for Edge. The HOF seems to look for two things - guys who absolutely dominated at their position for 8-10 years or guys who were really, really good and integral parts of Super Bowl Champions.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He is in the top 15 all time rushing. He will be in the Hall of Fame. He won't be a first ballot, but he will get in.

but if he goes the way of SA and Eddie George and pretty much falls off the face of the Earth after this year (which is more than likely when you just look at RBs in general at the age of 30), by the time he's eligible (when is that? 3 years after he retires), there will other guys who will have passed him by on that list like LT, Portis. And if he's not first ballot and keeps on not getting in, more and more guys will pass him up.

 

[joeshmo]

but if he goes the way of SA and Eddie George and pretty much falls off the face of the Earth after this year (which is more than likely when you just look at RBs in general at the age of 30), by the time he's eligible (when is that? 3 years after he retires), there will other guys who will have passed him by on that list like LT, Portis. And if he's not first ballot and keeps on not getting in, more and more guys will pass him up.

James only needs about 300 yards to become #8 on the list passing Jim Brown. The only current player who has a shot at pushing Edge to #9 is LT, which LT will actually pass James this year. Portis has a chance to do it by the age of 31 if he continues his yearly average and stays healthy and if Edge only gets 300 more yards as of this date. But even then it only pushes him to #10 on the list with no one else even remotely possible of taking his spot by the time he is HOF worthy unless Edge decides not to retire for another 5 years and lets people catch up to him.

But besides all time rushing list. Edge is already in the top 10 of all time yards from scrimmage with no one in site except for LT to catch up to him. All other RB's are not good at both recieving and running to catch up at this point in time.

 

[Russ Smith]

James only needs about 300 yards to become #8 on the list passing Jim Brown. The only current player who has a shot at pushing Edge to #9 is LT, which LT will actually pass James this year. Portis has a chance to do it by the age of 31 if he continues his yearly average and stays healthy and if Edge only gets 300 more yards as of this date. But even then it only pushes him to #10 on the list with no one else even remotely possible of taking his spot by the time he is HOF worthy unless Edge decides not to retire for another 5 years and lets people catch up to him.

But besides all time rushing list. Edge is already in the top 10 of all time yards from scrimmage with no one in site except for LT to catch up to him. All other RB's are not good at both recieving and running to catch up at this point in time.

Yeah I think he'll make it in myself but I actually think he's at the point where the sooner he retires, the more likely he makes it early rather than needing several votes to get in.

Voters don't just look at the sum total unfortunately, they go off what they remember and if they remember Edge hanging on for too long(like George and Franco harris) it may take them a few years to accept that his career is HOF worthy.

I think it is he's had some amazing years, but if you spend too many years playing way past your prime, you taint the memory of voters IMHO.

 

[joeshmo]

Voters don't just look at the sum total unfortunately, they go off what they remember and if they remember Edge hanging on for too long(like George and Franco harris) it may take them a few years to accept that his career is HOF worthy.

I to think him retiring sooner rather then later will help his cause as well. But Eddie George is not a good example IMO. George was in the league for 9 years and is only #22 on the alltime list. He also really only stayed in the league one year longer then he should have in Dallas. He was only 31 when he retired and was only 30 when he tried it for one last year.

 

[FArting]

Yes

 

[Russ Smith]

I to think him retiring sooner rather then later will help his cause as well. But Eddie George is not a good example IMO. George was in the league for 9 years and is only #22 on the alltime list. He also really only stayed in the league one year longer then he should have in Dallas. He was only 31 when he retired and was only 30 when he tried it for one last year.

Yeah I don't mean George cost himself a HOF bid, I don't think he ever had one to lose. I just meant his last 4 years were pretty bad 3.0, 3.4, 3.3. 3.3. He fell off the table really quickly and he didn't want to believe it he kept getting a lot of carries and I think he fooled himself(and the Titans) into thinking he was still really good and played at least 2 years too long.

2002 he got 1000 yards but needed over 300 carries, it was one of the least impressive 1000 yard seasons in ages.

At some point teams need to accept that with a decent OL if you get 300 carries for just about any NFL RB(or by committee) you're going to get 1000 plus from them. They were waiting for the old Eddie George to come out but he just didn't have it anymore.

I think that's where Edge is he keeps saying I know I can still play, he can, but he's not nearly as good as he was even 2 years ago, he just hasn't accepted that yet. Which is very normal for pro athletes, I just hate to see guys who were legitimately great players to stick around too long.

The competitor in them won't let them admit they're not the same guy anymore.