With the 2018 NFL Hall of Fame ceremony set for Saturday, who are the top candidates to be enshrined in 2019? Seven former players will be enshrined into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday, including three on the first ballot. Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher will enter the Hall without a wait, getting voted into the league's most prestigious club on their first year of eligibility. With the 2018 class now settled, it's time to look forward to the class of 2019. So who is likely to join Lewis, Moss and Urlacher in their first year of eligibilty in 2019? Here are five candidates debuting on the ballot next year. Ed Reed (safety): The league's most fearsome safety in the aughts, Reed tallied nine Pro Bowls in his 12-year career, earning five All-Pro nods. The Miami product led the league in interceptions three times, ball-hawking in Baltimore for 11 seasons. Reed established himself as both an imposing presence in the run game as well as a consistent force in pass coverage, securing the back end of the Ravens' defense. Reed will be enshrined in Canton sooner rather than later. Tony Gonzalez (tight end): There is no more accomplished tight end in NFL history than Gonzalez, a 14-time Pro Bowler. In 17 seasons—included 12 with the Chiefs—Gonzalez ended his career ranked in the top 10 all-time in receiving touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards. The 6'5" tight end redefined the position, becoming one of the league's preeminent pass catchers by the start of the century. He's a near-lock to don a gold jacket next August. Champ Bailey (cornerback): Bailey split his career between two franchises, spending five years in Washington before a decade in Denver. The 6'0" corner thrived in both spots, earning four Pro Bowl selections with the Redskins and eight with the Broncos. Bailey's 52 career interceptions rank No. 26 on the all-time list, one shy of Deion Sanders. His counting stats don't lead cornerbacks on the all-time list, but Bailey was a top-end cover corner for a significant stretch in his career. While not guaranteed, he's a likely first ballot Hall of Famer. Brian Waters (guard): An undrafted free agent out of North Texas, Waters became the face of Kansas City's front line in the 2000's, paving the way for one of the league's most effective ground games. Waters earned six Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods in his 13-year career, all coming in his time with the Chiefs. But despite the accolades, Waters faces an uphill climb for enshrinement. Of the 13 guards currently in the Hall, all have earned four or more All-Pro honors. London Fletcher (linebacker): Fletcher was an absolute iron man in his 16-year career, playing in 256 consecutive games from his rookie year to retirement. He retired in 2013 with 1380 career tackles along with 39 sacks, including three 100-plus tackle seasons. Fletcher stands at a longshot for Canton, though, only making four career Pro Bowls.<doc-sep>Start planning your trip to Canton, Broncos Country. Former Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey is considered a lock to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019 and owner Pat Bowlen is gaining momentum to make it in as a contributor. There’s a good chance that Bailey and Bowlen will reach the Hall of Fame together next summer. If that happens, the Broncos would be a great candidate to play in the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game, which kicks off preseason each summer. If Denver is chosen to play in the exhibition contest, the team would have five preseason games next summer. The game would provide a good look at bottom-of-the-roster players because starters rarely play more than a drive (if that) in the Hall of Fame game. This year, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Chicago Bears 17-16 in the Hall of Fame game. Those two teams were chosen because linebackers Ray Lewis (Baltimore) and Brian Urlacher (Chicago) will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday evening.<doc-sep>
The annual ceremonies connected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame have arrived. Those ceremonies started with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday night between the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens and will culminate with the enshrinement ceremony on Saturday evening. This year an amazing class will be recognized, but next year could be just as good. Jim Reineking of USA TODAY Sports recently published a list of near-locks for next year’s class, and former Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey made the cut as a first-ballot choice. He would become just the sixth cornerback in NFL history to be inducted in his first year of eligibility, joining Mel Blount, Willie Brown, Darrell Green, Rod Woodson and Deion Sanders. That’s pretty good company. But it’s not as though Bailey doesn’t deserve to be in that company. He was easily one of the best cornerbacks in the league for nearly all of his 16-year career. He spent 10 of those seasons in Denver. In total, Bailey was selected to 12 Pro Bowls. He also earned honors such as being selected to the Broncos’ 50th anniversary team as well as the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2000s. His 52 career interceptions rank in the top 30 in league history. But Bailey was more than just a turnover machine. He would take away an entire side of the field, forcing the opposing quarterback to look elsewhere. And who can forget this play, which landed at No. 3 on our list of the greatest plays in Broncos history: Bailey absolutely should be considered a lock for the Hall. The one thing that eluded him was a Super Bowl ring, but he put a lasting mark on a franchise. You could also make a pretty good argument that he was the best defensive player the Broncos have ever had. So to Champ, sit back and enjoy the ceremony this year and start preparing your speech, because you’ll be giving it at this time next year.