5 current Bengals with the best Hall of Fame chances

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is an exclusive club, especially when your career was spent with the Cincinnati Bengals. Who currently on the team has the best chance to make it to Canton one day? 

Anthony Munoz is the only Bengal to be given a gold jacket, despite many Hall of Fame-caliber players across Cincinnati Bengals history. There seems to be a bias towards Bengals in Canton, making this exercise much harder.

We have to consider not only the player’s Hall of Fame potential but what they would need to do to earn votes, given the historical disadvantage of being a Bengal.

Ken Riley is genuinely one of the greatest ball hawks to ever live. Ken Anderson was an MVP, AFC Champion, and arguably the most accurate passer of his era.

Willie Anderson dominated the right tackle position for nearly a decade. But the Bengals bias keeps him out, despite being the 15th best Tackle in NFL history according to Pro Football Reference’s ‘Approximate Value’ metric.

So who on the current Bengals roster can reach Gold Jacket status?

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference

Honorable Mentions

Essentially the honorable mention list is for players who could make the Hall if the Bengals are able to rattle off a couple of Super Bowls in the next five seasons. Super Bowls elevate resumés, and these guys will need that elevation.

Tee Higgins

This one might get some people screaming because Tee Higgins has been off to a hot start in his NFL career. He has the 11th most yards for a receiver under 23 in NFL history. Credit to Marcus Mosher at The Game Day NFL for digging this up.

It’s a pretty nice list to be 11th in but the threshold for WRs making the Hall of Fame is ridiculously high. Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald are the only HOFs on the list. Justin Jefferson, Mike Evans, and DeAndre Hopkins are the ones with the best shot at Canton.

It’d take something crazy in Cincinnati as the No. 2 option to earn a spot. Reggie Wayne was a six-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro, a Super Bowl champion, and finished with 14,345yds – good for 10th in NFL history and only 235 yards behind his Hall of Fame teammate Marvin Harrison.

He was the No. 2, and although he might find his way to Canton, he might end up waiting 11 years like Cris Carter. Not saying Higgins can’t do it, but it’s an uphill climb.

Jonah Williams

It is unlikely that Jonah Williams is a bona fide Hall of Fame tackle like Joe Thomas. His performances in Cincinnati have been up and down and he hasn’t shown those HOF traits often enough to pound the table for his Canton potential.

The Bengals believe in him stoutly, and if he is the blindside protector for a dynasty then the Hall of Fame becomes a much easier goal.

Plus, his tattoo game is strong.