New Orleans Saints Pro Football Hall of Fame watch
The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 will be inducted Aug. 5. Here are players on the 2023 Saints who could join the immortals in Canton someday:
Guaranteed Hall of Famer
Cameron Jordan, defensive end: General manager Mickey Loomis recently called Jordan a future Hall of Famer, and while he's biased, it's hard to argue against him.
Jordan has 115.5 sacks during his 12-year career. He's eight sacks from breaking Rickey Jackson's franchise record (123), which would also place him in the top 30 in career sacks in NFL history. He has one more sack than J.J. Watt, who was drafted the same year as Jordan and retired following the 2022 season.
Fringe Hall of Famers
Tyrann Mathieu, safety: Mathieu's case isn't as much of a slam dunk as Jordan's, but it's still compelling. Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor puts him in a class with Hall of Fame safety John Lynch and above others at his position, including HOFers Emmitt Thomas and Dick LeBeau and Class of 2023 HOF inductee Ken Riley.
Mathieu began his career in Arizona (2013-17) and was named first-team All-Pro and received Pro Bowl honors in 2015. In three seasons with the Chiefs (2019-21), Mathieu made two first-team All-Pro teams (2019, 2020) and two Pro Bowls (2020, 2021) and won one Super Bowl (2019). He joined the Saints last offseason and led the team in interceptions (three) in 2022 and has his eyes set on an even bigger 2023.
With another big season, he'll be a lock for enshrinement.
Alvin Kamara, running back: Kamara made the Pro Bowl in his first five seasons (2017-21) and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017. In six seasons, he has 1,565 touches for 8,888 yards and 71 touchdowns. He also has one special teams touchdown, and his 72 touchdowns are the fourth most by a running back in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Chuck Foreman (73), Todd Gurley (79) and Hall of Famer Jim Brown (81) have more. (h/t Stathead)
Michael Thomas, wide receiver: Thomas needs to bounce back strongly from multiple injuries to have a legitimate Hall of Fame case, but he laid the foundation for a HOF career after bursting onto the scene as the best receiver in football during his first four years in the league (2016-19). Per Stathead, Thomas' 470 receptions and 5,512 yards are the most by a receiver in his first four seasons. His 149 receptions in 2019 are the most in a season in NFL history.
Since then, Thomas has struggled to stay on the field. From 2020-22, he played in 10 of a possible 50 regular-season games, managing 56 receptions, 609 yards and three touchdown catches during that span. With quarterback Derek Carr joining the Saints this offseason, Thomas will see plenty of targets should he stay healthy. That's the biggest "if" of his career and the only thing holding him back from the Hall of Fame.
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