It’s amazing to think about the personnel that once stood next to each other along the Kansas City Chiefs’ front line. Brian Waters and Casey Wiegmann still stand in the NFL and stand as two of the best active linemen in the league. Two former players in Willie Roaf and Will Shields now stand together as Hall of Fame candidates and the voting takes place today to see if either one, or both, can make it in.
Shields is considered a good bet to get in on his first round today, but that’s been said before of deserving candidates who were left wanting. Roaf, on the other hand, has been through this before, but deserves it even still. Eric Golub of the Washington Times says that Roaf is one of the best tackles of all time and, as such, warrants entry into the Hall:
Willie Roaf is one of the greatest offensive tackles of all time. In 13 years, nine of those with the Saints, he went to 11 Pro Bowls. When he decided to retire, Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson tried to persuade him to stay. Roaf was a fierce blocker, and protected some good quarterbacks and some less so. He never went to a Super Bowl, but he in his first year of eligibility and deserves first ballot consideration. Dermontti Dawson became the Steelers center when Hall of Famer Mike Webster retired. Dawson did go to one Super bowl, and 12 years as a center is impressive in itself. Yet Dawson played on teams that were much more talented. Willie Roaf should get in.
Both players should eventually get in and Waters also stands a solid chance in the future when his playing days are done. Wiegmann might be on the outside looking in, but there’s no doubting both his strength and contributions as well as the overall excellence of a once all-time line.