5 Denver Broncos icons most likely to make the Hall of Fame

The Denver Broncos added three well-known figures to Canton last weekend: Peyton Manning, John Lynch and Steve Atwater. The weekend felt disproportionately Broncos-centric.

While it was fun for Broncos fans to think about the past, it raises the question of who could be the next Broncos players to make the Hall of Fame.

Here's a look at which active Broncos stars could on their way to grab their own gold jacket.

Denver Broncos likely to be immortalized in Canton

#1 - DeMarcus Ware, LB

This seems like an inevitability, even from a national perspective. In other words, people across the league know DeMarcus Ware. He was Von Miller's mentor and was instrumental in the franchise winning Super Bowl 50. Without Ware, the Carolina Panthers would likely have mounted a comeback.

Additionally, Ware had eight double-digit sacks in his career. While he spent most of his career in Dallas, he remained productive in his final three years in Denver. His best season came in 2008, when he had 20 sacks and 84 tackles. Ware could be in the Hall of Fame as soon as next year.

#2 - Von Miller, LB

Von Miller is the face of the Denver Broncos in the post-Manning era. Anyone who has paid attention to the players they show in advertisements would agree with this. For example, advertisements with phrases like "Manning's Broncos taking on Carr's Raiders" are now "Miller's Broncos taking on Carr's Raiders."

Without Miller, the Broncos would not have won Super Bowl 50. His strip sacks of Newton set the Broncos up with an early lead in a game in which the Broncos never fell behind.

Miller missed last season with a torn ACL but has had seven seasons with double-digit sacks. Miller will be in the Hall of Fame at some point in the next decade.

#3 - Jerry Jeudy, WR

This is quite controversial, but the list is for the most likely Broncos to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Of course, DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller are shoe-ins, but behind them, the list becomes a bunch of "maybe" candidates.

Thought it was a good day for a little #Broncos reunion. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/G0OOF1iIrX

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Jeudy's ceiling is still high enough to be in the conversation in ten years. While he could play his way off the list by the end of the season, he also has the potential to be one of the best receivers in the league.

He was drafted high enough for that to be the expectation and he's shown plenty of flashes of potential in his brief career. Last season, he was put in a tough position due to the loss of Courtland Sutton, which forced him to take on the best cornerbacks in the league as a rookie. That said, the experience could have made him even better going into 2021.

#4 - Justin Simmons, S

Justin Simmons has been one of John Elway's best draft picks since Peyton Manning's retirement. His lowest PFF score was 60.9 in 2018. His best year, though, was in 2019 when he earned a 90.7 PFF score and four interceptions.

Overall, Simmons has been a lockdown safety. If he can maintain his level of play, he could be a Hall of Famer down the line. That said, the Broncos need to get back into the Super Bowl conversation before he gets the national spotlight.

#5 - Garett Bolles, T

Garett Bolles is coming off a year in which he was one of the best tackles in the NFL. He earned a 90.6 PFF score and did not allow a single sack in 2020.

Leading up to 2020, though, Broncos fans were ready to ship him down the river.

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He was notorious for holding penalties and hair-pulling mistakes at critical times. That said, if he can maintain his level of play for the next five years, he could get into the Hall of Fame after 30 years.