Eagle Hall of Famers?

Those who read yesterday’s post know that Al Wistert tops the list of former Eagles most Hall of Fame-worthy. So who else belongs? That’s where the fun starts.

The Eagles are the NFC East team with the least number of “primary contributors,” according to the Hall’s determination on which team the player made his biggest mark. (Though the Hall doesn’t include Norm Van Brocklin or Alex Wojciechowicz in the team’s total, and without them, the Eagles wouldn’t have won their titles in 1948, ’49, and ’60).

The Eagles, with just 9, fall behind New York (18 primary contributors), Washington (17), and Dallas (10), though the team has seen three primary inductees since 1998: Tommy McDonald, Bob Brown, and Reggie White.

And it looks like there’ll be more where they came from. Below is my list of Eagle players and coaches on the Hall of Fame radar. Remember, this is “primary contributors” only, so that rules out 2008 Hall finalist Cris Carter (Minnesota) and 2009 senior committee finalist Claude Humphrey (Atlanta). —JR

Should make it:
Eric Allen: 6-time All-Pro, 6-time Pro Bowl (5 each with Eagles); 20th all-time with 54 INT
Brian Dawkins: 5-time All-Pro, 6-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles)
Randall Cunningham: 4-time All-Pro, 4-time Pro Bowl (3 each with Eagles); 1990 MVP. Here’s a convincing argument for Cunningham.

Could go either way:
Harold Carmichael: 4-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles); NFL 1970s All-Decade team
Donovan McNabb: 5-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles); 2004 NFC Offensive Player of the Year
Troy Vincent: 3-time All Pro, 5-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles)

Time is on their side:
Andy Reid: Five division titles, four NFC championship game appearances. Five more typical Reid seasons and he’s in.
Brian Westbrook: 1-time All-Pro, 2-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles); needs a few more strong seasons.

Close, but…:
Wilbert Montgomery: 2-time Pro Bowl (both with Eagles), College Football Hall of Fame
Bill Bergey: 4-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles); set NFL record for INT by LB. Bergey may only be eligible via the seniors committee; if so, he’s probably not going in.
Jon Runyan: 1 Pro Bowl (with Eagles); 180 consecutive starts prior to 2008
Dick Vermeil: The Rams Super Bowl title helps; but who gets to claim him if he makes it?

Has their time passed?:
Al Wistert: 8-time All Pro (all with Eagles); captain of ’48, ’49 title-winners; named to NFL 1940s All-Decade Team; College Football Hall of Fame
Maxie Baughan: 5-time All-Pro (all with Eagles); College Football Hall of Fame
Pete Retzlaff: 5-time Pro Bowl (all with Eagles)