I’d like to think Adam Vinatieri gets in. Can any other kicker claim the resume he has, not only for longevity but for clutch kicks in the playoffs with two Super Bowl-winners.
After him I don’t know if there’s a real slam dunk in terms of born-and-bred Patriots. McGinest holds the record for playoffs sacks, that could help him. Seymour and Wilfork were certainly dominant players but never racked up the stats. Bruschi and Vrabel meant so much to the defense, but again, do they get docked because they played for a Belichick defense?
Obviously Randy Moss will get in but I’m not sure he really counts as a Patriot. I’d expect he’ll go in as a Vike. What about Welker? He really redefined the slot position and had a ton of catches. But again, is he really that good or just part of the system.
I’d expect Gronk to be pretty much a lock even if he retired tomorrow.
