The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 will be inducted on Aug. 5. Here are current players on the 2023 Dolphins who could be inducted in the years to come.
Fringe Hall of Famers
Jalen Ramsey, cornerback: The argument could be made that one Super Bowl title, three first-team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowl nods are enough to warrant a Hall of Fame induction. Still, Ramsey has work to do as he enters the later stages of his career.
Ramsey was the best defensive back in the NFL at his peak, but the 28-year-old has slowly tailed off in recent years. Though he has tied his career high in interceptions in each of the past two seasons (four), Ramsey has also allowed more recent touchdowns in coverage than at any other point in his career. In 2021, he surrendered five touchdowns, followed by seven last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Because quarterbacks regarded Ramsey so highly during his prime, he wasn’t targeted often and currently has just 19 career interceptions. On the surface, it seems like an increase in takeaways would help his candidacy, though he’ll need to pick off more passes during his Dolphins tenure. Steve Atwater’s 24 interceptions are the fewest any Hall of Fame defensive back.
As long as Ramsey can bounce back from last season’s performance, he should stay on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Being on a team with Super Bowl aspirations, as opposed to one that endured the struggles of the 2022 Rams, figures to make him more motivated to perform well.
Tyreek Hill, wide receiver: While the NFL has seen many exceptional wide receivers throughout its history, only 29 have been elected to the Hall of Fame. That number should soar once more of this generation’s wideouts become eligible for enshrinement and Hill would likely be among them.
Hill spent the first six seasons of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, appearing in two Super Bowls (and winning one), before being traded to the Dolphins last offseason. Despite not having quarterback Patrick Mahomes throwing to him, Hill recorded a career-high 1,710 receiving yards, the second most in the NFL. For his career, Hill has amassed 10,540 all-purpose yards and 76 touchdowns.
According to Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor, Hill has already accomplished enough to qualify as a borderline Hall of Famer. Because Hill has said he plans to step away from football after the 2025 season – when he will be 31 years old – his candidacy may suffer from a premature retirement.
Regardless, if he maintains a level of production similar to 2022 for the remainder of his career – and perhaps wins another Super Bowl – he should earn induction into Canton.
A young player who could develop into a Hall of Famer
Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver: It’s not easy to begin a career as successfully as Waddle, who broke Anquan Boldin’s rookie reception record, catching 104 passes in 2021. That achievement earned him recognition by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with his Week 18 jersey from that season displayed for the public to view.
