The Lead
It's just a matter of when, not if, Von Miller will put on his gold jacket.
That’s according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, though most (if not all) Broncos fans already feel that way.
In an article examining each team's top players and their chances at making the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Miller was Barnwell's No. 1 selection for Denver, of course. He categorized the eight-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl MVP as a "Lock" with a 100 percent chance of induction after his career comes to a close.
"The superstar edge rusher has made the Pro Bowl every year except 2013, when he was suspended before going down with a torn ACL," Barnwell wrote. "He has three first-team All-Pro nods and a Super Bowl MVP before turning 31. Even if he slows down from here on out, Miller's going to the Hall."
Aside from Miller, Melvin Gordon III and Jurrell Casey also make Barnwell's list, though he has them in the "Work to do (10% to 39%)" category.
Below the Fold
Could Miller be in line to bounce back in a big way in 2020? The Athletic's Nick Kosmider took a close look at pass-rushers who have been able to bring down the quarterback at least 12 times in their 10th season or beyond and found some interesting nuggets.
What about predictions for who will enter the Hall of Fame next year? NFL.com’s Adam Rank made his best guess, but I know he'll get at least one of them right. "[T]his is about as unanimous as it will ever get," Rank wrote. "Even the one wise guy who tries to feign an argument against him will get laughed out of the room. Manning is perhaps the greatest regular-season quarterback in NFL history. Manning won an unprecedented five MVP awards -- a mark that is pretty astounding given the high-profile quarterbacks he's played with, including Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Manning also won a Super Bowl with two different teams, so there is no point in putting more words on this page about his qualifications."
