Defensive Lineman/Linebackers/EDGE: 

Here are the five Defensive Lineman/Linebackers/EDGE who have entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame and played within the last 25 years.  They comprise our baseline:

Jared Allen (2025), Dwight Freeney (2024), Julius Peppers (2024), DeMarcus Ware (2023), & Bryant Young (2022).

O.K..  This is tricky.  Initially, we were ironclad on positions regarding how they appear on a stat sheet, but we were kidding ourselves.  The front seven on any defensive corps is a rotating group of roles that are far more complicated to define than any offensive position.  We made a significant change, focusing on pass rushers and interior linemen, but even then, the myriad of roles renders it difficult, especially when we are looking at matching current players with their first five counterparts.  

Here are the statistical averages that we are using based on the last group of Defensive Lineman/Linebackers/EDGE to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

• Games Played: 211.4
• Approximate Value: 132.4
• Approximate Value per Games Played: 0.6263
• Games Started: 191.8
• Approximate Value per Games Started: 0.6903
• Approximate Value per Five-Year Peak: 63.4
• Approximate Value’s Best Five Results: 68.6
• Top Five Defensive Player of the Year Finishes**: 4.8
• Pro Bowls: 6.8
• First Team All-Pros*: 3
• Quarterback Sacks: 129.8
• Quarterback Sacks Five-Year Peak: 63
• Top Five Quarterback Sacks Finishes: 9
• Tackles for Loss: 157.6
• Tackles for Loss Five-Year Peak: 75.4
• Top Five Tackles for Loss Finishes: 11.2
• Combined Tackles: 600.2
• Combined Tackles Five-Year Peak: 259.2
• Forced Fumbles: 35.6
• Forced Fumbles Five-Year Peak: 15
• Super Bowl Wins: 0.6
• Super Bowl Appearances: 1.2

*This is an aggregate of the Top Five finishes (5^th = 1, 4^th = 2, 3^rd = 3, 2^nd = 4^th, 1^st = 5)

**This is a reminder that the All-Pros we use are from the AP.

Offensive Lineman: 

Here are the five Offensive Linemen who have entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame and played within the last 25 years.  They comprise our baseline:

Tony Boselli (2022), Alan Faneca (2021), Steve Hutchinson (2020), Kevin Mawae (2019) & Joe Thomas (2023).

As football analytics advance, it is easier than ever to calculate the effectiveness of offensive linemen.  We will add more metrics as analytics continue to evolve, but games are won and lost in the trenches, and football fans are invested there.

Here are the statistical averages that we are using based on the last group of Offensive Linemen to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

• Games Played: 174.8
• Approximate Value: 188
• Approximate Value per Games Played: 0.6760
• Games Started: 173
• Approximate Value per Games Started: 0.6832
• Approximate Value per Five-Year Peak: 65.4
• Approximate Value’s Best Five Results: 68.0
• Pro Bowls: 7.8
• First Team All-Pros*: 4.8
• Super Bowl Wins 0.4
• Super Bowl Appearances 0.2

*This is an aggregate of the Top Five finishes (5^th = 1, 4^th = 2, 3^rd = 3, 2^nd = 4^th, 1^st = 5)
**This is a reminder that the All-Pros we use are from the AP.