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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Commanders To Sign TE Zach Ertz

March 6th, 2024 at 12:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zach Ertz will join a third team since November. After landing with the Lions late last season, the veteran tight end came up earlier today as a Commanders target. The NFC East team will follow through on a deal.

Washington has an agreement in place with Ertz, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds the one-year contract is worth up to $5MM. This move will reunite Ertz with former Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury, who will debut as the Commanders’ play-caller.

Ertz finishing last season on the Lions’ practice squad allows him to sign before the market opens next week. This will position the longtime Eagles pass catcher to be a potential starter again. The Commanders released Logan Thomas late last week. NFL.com’s Peter Schrager reported earlier Ertz was in talks with the Commanders.

A number of teams — the Eagles, Chiefs, Bills and Ravens — were interested in Ertz following his in-season Cardinals exit. Ertz and the Cards reached a financial compromise following the trade deadline, and the team removed Ertz from its IR list. No one claimed the 11-year veteran, and Ertz did not end up playing in a game for another team following that transaction. The Lions did not activate him ahead of the NFC championship game.

Two tight ends are now off the board ahead of free agency, with this Ertz deal coming a day after the Texans re-signed Dalton Schultz. Teams will still have options like Hunter Henry and Noah Fant, but the market is thinner after these two agreements. Ertz will be looking to bounce back after a down season on a rebuilding team. The Stanford alum caught just 27 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in seven Arizona games last season. A quad injury led Ertz to IR, which ended up wrapping his Cardinals tenure. He requested to be cut soon after, and the Cardinals then turned second-year TE Trey McBride loose.

Ertz, 33, spent around a year as a healthy option in Kingsbury’s offense. The Cardinals acquired him via trade from the Eagles during the 2021 season, as the Eagles opted to pay Dallas Goedert over a second Ertz extension, and the NFC West team received promising returns. Ertz totaled 56 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 Cardinals games that year. At the time, that doubled as single-season TE yardage record during the Cards’ Arizona years; McBride has since surpassed it. The showing led the Cardinals to re-sign Ertz on a three-year, $31.65MM deal in 2022. That preceded a season-ending knee injury midway through Kingsbury’s woeful Arizona finale.

Ertz’s best years are probably behind him, and it will be interesting to see if the Commanders make a bigger TE splash this offseason. But the former Eagles third-rounder has six seasons with at least 750 receiving yards. Ertz ranks second in Eagles history with 709 receptions. Post-Thomas, Washington rosters John Bates, Armani Rogers and 2022 fifth-rounder Cole Turner. Thomas’ 496 receiving yards led Commanders tight ends by more than 300 last season.

Cardinals Open To Trading No. 4 Pick?

March 3rd, 2024 at 11:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Presuming the Bears replace Justin Fields with Caleb Williams and the Commanders and Patriots keep their respective places in the draft order, three quarterbacks could very well hear their names called with the first three picks in April. That would leave the Cardinals’ top draft slot as one worth monitoring.

Arizona has made repeated commitments to Kyler Murray as the quarterback of the present and future, so the team will not be looking for a starting-caliber addition this spring. Regardless of how the first three picks play out, though, teams further down the draft board could be inclined to move up to secure the next available signal-caller. For that reason, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports the Cardinals are “open” to trading down (subscription required).

After a 4-13 campaign, Arizona’s roster certainly has a number of holes to fill. Adding further draft capital would assist in the effort on the part of second-year general manager Monti Ossenfort in taking the organization’s rebuild to its next step. Ossenfort proved willing to maneuver on draft day last year, moving out of the third overall slot before ultimately trading back up from 12th to sixth in the order. That process landed the Cardinals Houston’s first-rounder in 2024; as such, Arizona is set to select fourth and 27th as things currently stand.

A top-five selection would provide the Cardinals a chance to add a much-needed No. 1 wideout. The status of pending free agent Marquise Brown is uncertain, but even if he were to be retained, a noteworthy addition at the position would be welcomed. For much of the season, the most common prospect linked with Arizona was phenom wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. If Ossenfort were to elect to stay put, the former Ohio State star would represent a logical target.

In the event a trade-down was executed, though, several other high-profile receiver options could still be within reach. Malik Nabers (LSU) and Rome Odunze (Washington) have both drawn considerable praise in the build-up to the draft, and Arizona could select either one with a slightly lower top-10 pick. Adding an impact offensive tackle (such as Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu) could also be an option in the back half of the top 10.

The Cardinals ranked 31st in scoring defense in 2023, so improvements in that regard will no doubt be an offseason priority. Most of the 2024 class’ top prospects are on the other side of the ball, though, and an addition helping Murray and Co. remains a likely outcome. Whether or not that comes at the No. 4 slot will be interesting to watch as the draft approaches.

2024 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 24th, 2024 at 9:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL provided clarity to its teams on Friday by setting the salary cap ceiling ($255.4MM). Franchise tag figures have been locked in as well, and clubs can now proceed with their offseason planning knowing exactly where they stand with respect to financial flexibility. Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is the current landscape in terms of salary cap space:

  1. Washington Commanders: $79.61MM
  2. Tennessee Titans: $78.66MM
  3. Chicago Bears: $78.34MM
  4. New England Patriots: $77.96MM
  5. Indianapolis Colts: $72.34MM
  6. Houston Texans: $67.58MM
  7. Detroit Lions: $57.61MM
  8. Arizona Cardinals: $51.1MM
  9. Cincinnati Bengals: $50.67MM
  10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $43.68MM
  11. Los Angles Rams: $43.11MM
  12. Las Vegas Raiders: $42.94MM
  13. Minnesota Vikings: $35.81MM
  14. Carolina Panthers: $34.57MM
  15. Atlanta Falcons: $33MM
  16. New York Giants: $30.8MM
  17. Philadelphia Eagles: $27.35MM
  18. Jacksonville Jaguars: $24.68MM
  19. Kansas City Chiefs: $18.19MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $16.63MM
  21. Seattle Seahawks: $12.97MM
  22. New York Jets: $12.76MM
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: $9MM
  24. Green Bay Packers: $2.3MM
  25. San Francisco 49ers: $5.07MM over the cap
  26. Cleveland Browns: $7.76MM over
  27. Dallas Cowboys: $9.86MM over
  28. Denver Broncos: $16.81MM over
  29. Los Angeles Chargers: $25.61MM over
  30. Miami Dolphins: $27.92MM over
  31. New Orleans Saints: $42.11MM over
  32. Buffalo Bills: $43.82MM over

All teams must be cap compliant by the start of the new league year, but it will of course be more than just those currently over the limit which will make cost-shedding moves in the near future. Cuts, restructures and extensions are available as tools to carve out space in advance of free agency. Several have already taken place around the league.

That includes the Dolphins’ release of defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and the planned cut of Xavien Howard. The latter cannot be designated a post-June 1 release until free agency begins but once it happens, Miami will move much closer to cap compliance. The Saints have moved considerable commitments into the future via restructures (as usual), but more transactions on that front will be required even with the cap seeing an historic single-season jump.

The roughly $30MM spike from 2023 will provide unforeseen spending power for teams already set to lead the pack in cap space while also making the task of those at the bottom of the list easier. Spending more on backloaded contracts this offseason at the expense of future space obviously carries risk, however. Still, the news of a higher-than-expected ceiling will add further intrigue to each team’s financial planning.

With Dak Prescott and Deshaun Watson each set to carry record-breaking cap hits for 2024, the Cowboys and Browns will be among the teams most in need of working out a deal to lower those figures. In Dallas’ case in particular, an extension would provide immediate breathing room in addition to clarity on his future beyond the coming season. For Cleveland, Watson’s fully-guaranteed deal has already been restructured once and will need to be again to avoid consecutive years of a $64MM cap charge over its remaining term.

If the Commanders and Patriots add a quarterback with the second and third picks in this year’s draft, each team currently in the top six in space will enjoy the benefits of having a signal-caller on their rookie contracts. That would allow for an aggressive approach to free agency, although the Chiefs’ success after Patrick Mahomes signed (and re-worked) his monster extension has proven it is possible to win Super Bowl titles with a substantial QB investment on the books.

Cardinals Likely To Pursue TE Additions

February 24th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Arizona began the season with both veteran Zach Ertz and 2022 second-rounder Trey McBride on the tight end depth chart. The latter’s play allowed for the team to move on from the former midway through the season. Depth at the position will need to be acquired in the coming months, however.

Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily reports the Cardinals are expected to use both free agency and the draft to add secondary options to complement McBride. The 24-year-old started every contest from Week 8 onward in 2023, and he was a major factor in the team’s offense. McBride drew at least seven targets on eight occasions as he saw his workload take a substantial jump compared to his rookie campaign.

The Colorado State alum totaled 825 yards and three touchdowns on 81 receptions, and he profiles as being a central figure in Arizona’s offense moving forward. The team’s only other current options at the position who are under contract (Blake Whiteheart, Travis Vokolek and Bernhard Seikovits), however, are former undrafted free agents. Veteran Geoff Swaim is a set to hit the open market when the new league year begins in March.

The 2024 free agent class could present the Cardinals with a number of short-term options. Dalton Schultz, Hunter Henry, Noah Fant, Gerald Everett and Irv Smith Jr. are among the tight ends who could be on the move in March. With more than $51MM in cap space, Arizona will have the ability to out-bid a number of suitors on the free agent market, although a big-money investment at the TE spot in particular would come as a surprise given McBride’s success as a starter.

This year’s draft features a clear-cut No. 1 prospect amongst tight ends in the form of Georgia’s Brock Bowers. The All-American and two-time John Mackey Award winner is all-but assured to be on the board when the Cardinals pick fourth overall, but the team could prioritize an offensive tackle or receiver prospect at that spot. Arizona also owns the No. 27 slot, but Bowers could very well be gone by that point. A Day 2 or 3 selection would still offer a useful addition to the depth chart, though, especially if paired with a veteran signing. The Cardinals will have the opportunity to take a number of paths to fill out their TE room this offseason.

Cardinals Part Ways With Dru Grigson

February 23rd, 2024 at 8:49am CST by Adam La Rose

Changes continue to take place in Arizona’s front office. Player personnel director Dru Grigson has parted ways with the team, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reports.

Grigson began his Cardinals tenure in 2008 after spending time with both the Eagles and the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in the scouting department. He worked as a scout in Arizona through 2012 before being promoted to scouting director the following season, holding that title for five years.

Grigson’s ascent through the ranks continued when he spent the 2019 and ’20 seasons as assistant player personnel director. That was followed by a single campaign as director of college scouting before taking charge of the player personnel department. After three years in that capacity, Grigson is now out of the organization.

The arrival of general manager Monti Ossenfort last offseason led to the expectation that changes could soon follow in the front office. Indeed, Quentin Harris – who had most recently served as VP of player personnel – is now out as well. He and Grigson began their Cardinals tenures at the same time, and their departures have now taken place within the same week.

While the former has drawn general manager interest in the past, the same is not true of the latter during the past two hiring cycles. As Ossenfort prepares for Year 2 of his time at the helm of the franchise, the Cardinals will have at least a few new faces in the personnel department. Harris and Grigson, meanwhile, will search for new opportunities elsewhere in the NFL.

Cardinals, Quentin Harris Part Ways

February 21st, 2024 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

A recent candidate for general manager jobs, Quentin Harris had spent the bulk of his career as a Cardinals executive. The veteran personnel man is now out in Arizona.

The Cardinals parted ways with Harris, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Harris had most recently served as the franchise’s VP of player personnel. The 46-year-old staffer had been with the Cardinals since 2008.

Harris had interviewed for multiple GM jobs recently, meeting with the Giants about the position that went to Joe Schoen and speaking with the Titans regarding the role that went to Ran Carthon. The Cards interviewed Harris for their GM job as well, doing so after he had finished the 2022 season as a co-GM of sorts alongside Adrian Wilson. The two filled in for Steve Keim, whose leave of absence before led to a departure.

The Cardinals had Harris on staff before Keim’s GM tenure started, hiring the former NFL defensive back as a scout. The Cardinals had initially identified Harris as a UDFA out of Syracuse back in 2002; Harris spent four seasons with the Cards, teaming with Wilson in the Arizona secondary in the 2000s. Both Harris and Wilson, who left for a Carolina front office post in 2023, are now out of the picture in Arizona.

Reorganizations of this sort are not uncommon in situations involving a new regime. The Cardinals had kept Harris on during multiple GM tenures, but they had previously promoted from within to fill the GM post. The franchise shifted course in 2023, hiring Monti Ossenfort and assistant GM Dave Sears from elsewhere. That naturally moved the holdover staffers onto shakier ground, and Harris is now available to pursue gigs elsewhere.

Assessing NFL’s OC Landscape

February 15th, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason showed the turnover that can take place at the offensive coordinator position. As a result of several decisions in January and February, the NFL no longer has an OC who has been in his current role for more than two seasons. Various firings and defections now have the 2022 batch of hires stationed as the longest-tenured OCs.

One of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, Pete Carmichael is no longer with the Saints. The team moved on after 15 seasons, a stay that featured part-time play-calling duties. The Browns canned their four-year non-play-calling OC, Alex Van Pelt, while three-year play-callers Arthur Smith and Shane Waldron are relocating this winter. Brian Callahan‘s five-year gig as the Bengals’ non-play-calling OC booked him a top job.

The recent lean toward offense-oriented HCs took a bit of a hit of a hit this offseason, with five of the eight jobs going to defense-oriented leaders. Callahan, Dave Canales and Jim Harbaugh were the only offense-geared candidates hired during this cycle. But half the NFL will go into this season with a new OC. Following the Seahawks’ decision to hire ex-Washington (and, briefly, Alabama) staffer Ryan Grubb, here is how the NFL’s OC landscape looks:

2022 OC hires

  • Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions*
  • Mike Kafka, New York Giants*
  • Wes Phillips, Minnesota Vikings
  • Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins
  • Adam Stenavich, Green Bay Packers
  • Press Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars*

Although this sextet now comprises the senior wing of offensive coordinators, this still marks each’s first gig as an NFL OC. Three of the six received HC interest this offseason.

Johnson’s status back in Detroit has been one of the offseason’s top storylines and a development the Commanders have not taken especially well. The two-year Lions OC was viewed as the frontrunner for the Washington job for weeks this offseason, and when team brass did not receive word about Johnson’s intent to stay in Detroit (thus, waiting until at least 2025 to make his long-expected HC move) until a Commanders contingent was en route to Detroit for a second interview, a back-and-forth about what exactly broke down took place. Johnson should be expected to remain a high-end HC candidate next year, but Dan Campbell will still have his services for 2024.

Kafka interviewed for the Seahawks’ HC job, and the Giants then blocked him from meeting with the NFC West team about its OC position. Rumblings about Kafka and Brian Daboll no longer being on great terms surfaced this year, with the latter yanking away play-calling duties — given to Kafka ahead of the 2022 season — at points in 2023. Taylor may also be on the hot seat with his team. Doug Pederson gave Taylor the call sheet last season, and Trevor Lawrence did not make the leap many expected. After a collapse left the Jaguars out of the playoffs, the team had begun to look into its offensive situation.

2023 OC hires

  • Jim Bob Cooter, Indianapolis Colts
  • Nathaniel Hackett, New York Jets*
  • Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams
  • Joe Lombardi, Denver Broncos
  • Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens*
  • Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs
  • Drew Petzing, Arizona Cardinals*
  • Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
  • Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans*

Only nine of the 15 OCs hired in 2023 are still with their teams. One (Canales) moved up the ladder, while others were shown the door following that organization canning its head coach. The Eagles were the only team who hired an offensive coordinator last year to fire that staffer (Brian Johnson) after one season. Nick Sirianni fired both his coordinators following a wildly disappointing conclusion.

Hackett may also be drifting into deep water, given what transpired last year in New York. Rumblings of Robert Saleh — who is on the hottest seat among HCs — stripping some of his offensive play-caller’s responsibilities surfaced recently. This marks Hackett’s fourth chance to call plays in the NFL; the second-generation staffer did so for the Bills, Jaguars and Broncos prior to coming to New York. After the 2022 Broncos ranked last in scoring, the ’23 Jets ranked 31st in total offense. Hackett’s relationship with Aaron Rodgers has largely kept him in place, but 2024 may represent a last chance for the embattled coach.

Of this crop, Monken and Slowik were the only ones to receive HC interest. Neither emerged as a frontrunner for a position, though Slowik met with the Commanders twice. The Texans then gave their first-time play-caller a raise to stick around for C.J. Stroud‘s second season. Stroud’s remarkable progress figures to keep Slowik on the HC radar. Monken, who is in his third try as an NFL OC (after gigs in Tampa and Cleveland), just helped Lamar Jackson to his second MVP award. The former national championship-winning OC did not stick the landing — as Jackson struggled against the Chiefs — but he fared well on the whole last season.

Schottenheimer is on his fourth go-round as an OC, while Lombardi is on team No. 3. The latter’s job figures to be more secure, being tied to Sean Payton, compared to what is transpiring in Dallas. With the Cowboys having Mike McCarthy as the rare lame-duck HC, his coordinators probably should not get too comfortable.

2024 OC hires

  • Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills*
  • Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
  • Ken Dorsey, Cleveland Browns
  • Luke Getsy, Las Vegas Raiders*
  • Ryan Grubb, Seattle Seahawks*
  • Nick Holz, Tennessee Titans
  • Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders*
  • Klint Kubiak, New Orleans Saints*
  • Brad Idzik, Carolina Panthers
  • Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles*
  • Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals
  • Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons*
  • Greg Roman, Los Angeles Chargers*
  • Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers*
  • Alex Van Pelt, New England Patriots*
  • Shane Waldron, Chicago Bears*

The 49ers do not employ a traditional OC; 16 of the 31 teams that do recently made a change. Most of the teams to add OCs this year, however, did so without employing play-calling coaches. This naturally raises the stakes for this year’s batch of hires.

Retreads became rather popular. Dorsey, Getsy, Moore, Van Pelt and Waldron were all OCs elsewhere (Buffalo, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle) last season. Smith will shift from calling the Falcons’ plays to running the show for the Steelers. Dorsey, Getsy and Van Pelt were fired; Moore and Waldron moved on after the Chargers and Seahawks respectively changed HCs. Moore and Smith will be calling plays for a third team; for Moore, this is three OC jobs in three years.

Coen, Kingsbury and Roman are back after a year away. Kingsbury became a popular name on the OC carousel, having coached Caleb Williams last season. This will be his second crack at an NFL play-calling gig, having been the Cardinals’ conductor throughout his HC tenure. This will be Coen’s first shot at calling plays in the pros; he was Sean McVay‘s non-play-calling assistant in 2022. Likely to become the Chargers’ play-caller, Roman will have a rare fourth chance to call plays in the NFL. He held that responsibility under Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco; following Harbaugh’s explosive 2015 49ers split, Roman moved to Buffalo and Baltimore to work under non-offense-oriented leaders.

Grubb, Holz, Idzik, Pitcher and Robinson represent this year’s first-timer contingent. Grubb has, however, called plays at the college level. Robinson is the latest McVay staffer to move into a play-calling post; he was a Rams assistant for five years. A host of teams had Robinson on their OC radar, but Raheem Morris brought his former L.A. coworker to Atlanta. Pitcher appeared in a few searches as well, but the Bengals made the expected move — after extending him last year — to give him Callahan’s old job.

* = denotes play-calling coordinator

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

February 12th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  21. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  22. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  23. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  28. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  29. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  30. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6

2024 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled

February 8th, 2024 at 9:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of modern-era standouts and two players chosen by the senior committee. Here is the full breakdown of this year’s honorees:

Dwight Freeney, defensive end (2002-17)

In his second year as a finalist, Freeney received enough support to be voted into the Hall. One of the quickest edge rushers in NFL history, Freeney will reach Canton with 125.5 career sacks. That total ranks 18th in NFL history. The Colts made Freeney their pass-rushing anchor during Peyton Manning‘s extended run as their franchise centerpiece. While the team eventually found a bookend in Robert Mathis, it chose Freeney 11th overall in the 2002 draft with a hope of building a pass defense around the Syracuse alum. Freeney delivered and will book a Hall of Fame nod on his second try.

Freeney finished second to fellow 2024 inductee Julius Peppers in 2002 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, but the spin-move maven showed what was ahead by forcing nine forced fumbles as a rookie. The 11-year Colt earned four All-Pro honors, joining Mathis as one of the era’s defining pass-rushing duos. Freeney led the NFL with 16 sacks in 2004 and helped the Colts vanquish their Patriots hurdle en route to a Super Bowl XLI win two years later. The Colts gave Freeney a six-year, $72MM extension in 2007.

The enduring sack artist managed to play five seasons following his Colts career, spending time with the Chargers, Falcons, Cardinals, Seahawks and Lions. Serving as a designated rusher near the end of his career, Freeney helped the Cardinals reach the 2015 NFC championship game, after an eight-sack season, and played in Super Bowl LI with the Falcons.

Randy Gradishar, linebacker (1974-83)**

Widely viewed as one of the best linebackers of his era and one of the game’s best tacklers of any period, Gradishar moves into the Hall via the senior committee route. Gradishar’s selection makes him the first member of the Broncos’ “Orange Crush” defense to be enshrined in Canton. That defensive nucleus powered Denver to its first playoff berth, a 1977 season that included postseason wins over 1970s superpowers Pittsburgh and Oakland en route to Super Bowl XII. The Broncos allowed just 10.6 points per game in 1977. Despite multiple rule changes designed to increase offensive productivity in 1978, the Broncos yielded just 12.4 points per contest that year.

A first-round pick out of Ohio State, Gradishar played his entire career in Denver and earned five All-Pro honors. The above-referenced 1978 season featured perhaps the best team in Steelers history, but Gradishar outflanked “Steel Curtain” cogs by being voted as Defensive Player of the Year after helping the 10-6 Broncos back to the playoffs. The off-ball linebacker added 20 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in his career.

Devin Hester, return specialist (2006-16)

Almost definitely the greatest return man in NFL history, Hester becomes one of the few true specialists in the Hall of Fame. Dabbling at cornerback and wide receiver, Hester provided the Bears tremendous value as a return specialist. Elite in both the kick- and punt-return capacities, Hester set an NFL record with 20 return touchdowns. Famously adding a kick-return score in the playoffs — to begin Super Bowl XLI — Hester delivered one of the great rookie seasons in NFL history. The Bears second-round pick notched six return TDs in the regular season — one coming on a blocked field goal sprint against the Giants — and added No. 7 against the Colts in the Super Bowl.

Hester’s 2007 season dismissed any fluke notions; he posted six more return scores (four on punts) during his NFL sophomore slate. While producing 17 more TDs on offense over the course of his career, Hester never caught on as a pure wideout in Chicago. But he landed on two All-Decade teams for his return work. Eighteen of Hester’s 19 return TDs came in Chicago. Hester’s 14 punt-return TDs are four more than second place all time (Eric Metcalf); he broke the record for combined kick- and punt-return TDs in only his sixth season (2011).

The Falcons gave Hester a three-year, $9MM contract in 2014; he finished his career splitting time with the Ravens and Seahawks in 2016. Seattle signed Hester just before the 2016 playoffs, using him in both its postseason contests that year.

Andre Johnson, wide receiver (2003-16)

Not collecting a Super Bowl ring like the other two pure wide receiver finalists in this year’s class (Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne), Johnson became well known for putting up monster numbers despite not being gifted a top-tier quarterback. But Johnson operated as one of the most physically imposing receivers in NFL history. The ex-Miami Hurricanes star’s numbers, largely compiled with David Carr and Matt Schaub targeting him, reflect that. Of Johnson’s seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons, four included 1,400-plus. Only Jerry Rice (six) and Julio Jones (five) produced more such seasons. Johnson’s 14,185 career yards rank 11th all time.

The Texans chose Johnson third overall in 2003, the second draft in their history. The 229-pound pass catcher led the NFL in receptions twice and receiving yards in back-to-back years (2008, 2009). Neither of those seasons lifted the Texans to a playoff berth, but Johnson remained in place as the team’s No. 1 wideout when the team finally booked its first two postseason cameos in 2011 and 2012. Johnson amassed 201 yards in two playoff games in 2011, doing so despite Schaub’s injury leaving rookie T.J. Yates at the controls.

Johnson is the Texans’ first Hall of Famer. This is fitting, as he retired with the most games played in Texans history. The longtime WR1 spent 12 years with the team. Johnson signed two Houston extensions spanning at least seven years in length, earning more than $108MM throughout his NFL run. He finished a 14-year career with one season apiece in Indianapolis and Tennessee.

Steve McMichael, defensive tackle (1980-94)**

Part of the storied 1985 Bears’ defense, McMichael played 13 of his 15 NFL seasons in Chicago. A Patriots third-round draftee, McMichael found himself in the Windy City ahead of his second season. The Patriots waived the future D-line mainstay during the 1981 offseason. Teaming with fellow Hall of Famers Dan Hampton and Richard Dent (along with William “The Refrigerator” Perry) on Chicago’s D-line, McMichael earned four All-Pro honors while helping a Bears team — one that saw Jim McMahon injuries impede paths to Super Bowls — become a perennial contender.

The Bears did, of course, break through as champions in 1985. That 18-1 team is on a short list of those in the running for the best ever, allowing only 12.4 points per game and outscoring its playoff opposition 91-10. McMichael started 16 games for the ’85 team and suited up every week for an ’86 Bears defense that statistically outflanked its famed predecessor. Better known by some as part of WCW’s Four Horsemen faction during his wrestling career, “Mongo” finished his gridiron run with 95 sacks (three of them safeties). McMichael closed out his NFL stay with the Packers in 1994. His 92.5 sacks with the Bears are second in franchise history.

Julius Peppers, defensive end (2002-18)*

Five years after retiring, Peppers remains fourth on the NFL’s all-time sack list (159.5). The former Panthers, Bears and Packers pass rusher finished a half-sack shy of Kevin Greene for third. While Greene needed to wait a bit before enshrinement, voters will send Peppers to Canton on his first try. The former North Carolina two-sport standout came into the league with high expectations, going off the 2002 draft board second overall. He justified those, remaining a productive pass rusher into his late 30s. No active sack artist is within 35 of Peppers’ career total. He is among the rare players to land on two All-Decade teams.

Peppers collected six All-Pro honors, three as a first-teamer, and did quite well on the contract front. Peppers’ rookie contract spanned seven years (and $46MM, before the 2011 CBA introduced the slot system), and the Panthers kept him off the market with a franchise tag ahead of Year 8. During the uncapped 2010, Peppers landed a then-record-setting DE pact from the Bears (six years, $84MM). He played four seasons on that deal, and after the Bears made the 6-foot-6 rusher a cap casualty in 2014, Peppers made an impact for three playoff-bound Packers teams in the mid-2010s.

While this can be considered a big night for the Bears — due to the enshrinements of three former players — Peppers played 10 years with the Panthers, returning home to close out his 17-season run. Fifteen years after he won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in Charlotte, the North Carolina native re-signed with his hometown team. Peppers’ penultimate season brought a 10th double-digit sack showing; he totaled 11 at age 37 to help the Panthers to their most recent playoff berth.

Patrick Willis, linebacker (2007-14)

Willis did not overstay his welcome in the NFL, retiring after his age-29 season. The dominant inside linebacker did not lack for accolades in his eight-year career, racking up six All-Pro honors — including five first-team distinctions. The 49ers nabbed Willis in the 2007 first round and turned him loose. Although San Francisco did not form the Jim Harbaugh–Vic Fangio pairing until Willis’ fifth season, he flashed frequently as a young player and was regarded by many as the NFL’s best off-ball linebacker for an extended period.

The Ole Miss alum picked up Defensive Rookie of the Year acclaim and became the rare player to win that award while earning first-team All-Pro honors. Willis tallied a career-high 174 tackles — including a staggering 136 solo — as a rookie to provide an indication of his capabilities. Willis remained in his prime when Harbaugh and Fangio arrived in 2011. While Harbaugh’s arrival elevated Alex Smith and then Colin Kaepernick, Willis’ presence represented a key part of a defense-geared 49ers blueprint that produced three straight NFC championship games and a berth in Super Bowl XLVII.

Willis teamed with NaVorro Bowman to form one of the great linebacking pairs in modern NFL history. Seeing each soar to the first-team All-Pro perch, the 49ers went second-second-third in scoring defense from 2011-13. After suffering a foot injury midway through the 2014 season, Willis opted to call it quits.

* = denotes first year of eligibility
** = denotes senior candidate

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