NFL Free Agency Speculation: Hall of Fame Odds for 7 Free Agents

At the end of every season, the Super Bowl champion can generally look back and determine that without one or two of the bargains that they made, the Lombardi trophy would not be there's.

This is because the NFL is a game where decisive margins are derived from seemingly innocuous decisions and events.

Free agency is no different.

As is usual, 2011 offers a wide variety of free agents. Some of them are destined to only contribute on special teams. Some of them will make key plays to win a Super Bowl.

Which ones are which, no one can know.

Yet some are already sitting on great careers, it's simply a matter of how much they have left. Others are stars in the making.

Can any of them get the greatest individual honor at the end of it and make it to the Hall of Fame?

Let's have a look at a few of the 2011 free agents and their odds of making it to Canton.

No. 7: C.C. Brown, Safety

Odds: 999,999,999,999,999,999 - 1

Okay...this was a joke. Just seeing if everyone's paying attention.

Honestly though, those are the real odds. "Can't Cover" Brown (as the C.C. is rumored to stand for) is probably not getting his own bust, unless it's for "Greatest Montage of Youtube Low-Lights."

No. 6: Ahmad Bradshaw, Running Back

Odds: 200 - 1

Bradshaw is a deceptive case, because of the difference in his short term value but long term prospects.

In the near-run, Bradshaw is an extremely valuable player. He's averaging 4.8 yards per carry for his career.

That's almost Hall of Fame worthy (at least as an individual stat).

What's not mentioned is that he's never been a feature back, and thus hasn't generated the yards and carries needed to start carving out an all-time resume.

Plus, his propensity for getting injured would leave me to believe he won't have Emmitt Smith's durability. 

No. 5: Santonio Holmes, Wide Receiver

Odds: 199 - 1

He only gets a fractionally better chance than Bradshaw because of one very notable reception which doesn't technically count in his statistics: the game-winning toe-drag with less than a minute remaining in Super Bowl XLIII.

Looking at history, on certain occasions players like Lynn Swann have gotten into the Hall of Fame on less than amazing numbers simply because they mattered in NFL history.

Yet that's a fairly weak argument. And Holmes will still have to put together some great years, wherever he ends up playing in the future.

Again, like Bradshaw there are injury concerns. Yet, in his one full season (2009), Holmes caught 79 catches for 1248 yards, which isn't too bad.

No. 4: Charles Johnson, Defensive End

Odds: 150 - 1

Johnson is a long, long way from being talked about in the same class with the greatest pass-rushers of all-time.

Yet he's young and obviously talented. After finally being given free reign as a full-time starter in 2010, the former Georgia Bulldog notched 11.5 sacks on a Carolina defense that was perpetually behind in games.

He was consistently double-teamed and game-planned for, since there aren't exactly a million pass-rushers on the Panthers.

So he's got potential. No doubt there. But a lot of guys have had potential and fallen well short, so the odds are still pretty long right now.

No. 3: Nnamdi Asomugha, Cornerback

Odds: 40 - 1

Considering his reputation, some might be surprised the odds are so long here. I mean, isn't he the best free agent out there today?

Well, yes. But that doesn't mean his odds for the Hall are any better.

Look, this isn't supposed to be a knock on Asomugha (though it might come out that way). He just doesn't chalk up interceptions like many other Hall of Fame defensive backs did.

He doesn't cause tons of turnovers. In other words, to Hall of Fame voters, he doesn't really look like a playmaker.

To be fair, this isn't an accurate reflection of what Nnamdi does well. He covers his receiver as well as any corner in the league this side of Darrelle Revis.

But that won't help with the Hall of Fame voting.

No. 2: Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver

Odds: 2 - 1

Get your popcorn ready. Because I'd put money on TO going to the Hall.

Like him or not, but the guy has done well in his career.

And more than that, he's delivered on multiple teams, from multiple quarterbacks in multiple systems.

He's obviously more than merely a deep threat.

And he's tough, playing in his only Super Bowl appearance on a heavily injured leg.

No. 1: Randy Moss, Wide Receiver

Odds: Off the board.

Vegas probably wouldn't take bets on this one. No matter how stacked they could make the odds to essentially make it not worth your while, they still wouldn't take a bet on this.

For one simple reason: it's a lock.

Randy Moss, no matter how many bridges he might burn, is a guaranteed Hall of Fame player.

In two fewer seasons than TO even, he has the same number of touchdown receptions and is not that far behind in yards receiving.

Plus, he holds the single-season record for touchdown receptions with 23 (which he set in his great 2007 season),

He's been one of the most electrifying deep threats in league history.

And he would be a hell of a pickup for some team in need of help at his position.

Most would say he's over the hill, but I doubt whatever team signs him will have to pay anything close to big money over a long term.

Thanks to his largely anonymous season in 2010, his value is low.

Too low for a Hall of Famer. He's a bargain, so long as your team is prepared for the baggage...