The Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2024 will officially be inducted on Aug. 3.
With less than a month until the annual event in Canton, Ohio, we're examining which players — past and present — on the league's 32 teams we think will one day receive a similar honor.
Here are three Arizona Cardinals who should eventually receive football immortality:
Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald is a slam dunk Hall of Fame in every objective and subjective way.
You want numbers? He has those. His 1,432 career receptions and 17,492 receiving yards are both second on the NFL’s all-time list, trailing only Jerry Rice, while his 121 receiving touchdowns are sixth. He led the NFL in receptions two different times, was an 11-time pro bowl player and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2010s team. He was not only, statistically, the best wide receiver of his era, he was one of the best wide receivers ever in the NFL.
He was also one of those players that subjectively just looked like a Hall of Famer. There might not have been a better receiver in NFL history at winning jump balls, while his footwork and hands were mesmerizing to watch.
He was the type of wide receiver that was always open no matter what the coverage on him looked like, and he did most of that damage while never really playing much with a top-tier quarterback.
He is eligible for induction in 2026 and should be a first ballot player.
Anquan Boldin
Boldin spent the early part of his career alongside Fitzgerald forming one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL, and while his peak may not have been as great, he still put together a lengthy, productive career that should put him into the Hall of Fame discussion.
He finished his career with 1,076 catches (ninth all-time), 13,779 yards (14th all-time) and 82 touchdowns.
The only two players ahead of him on the all-time receptions list that are not already in the Hall of Fame are Fitzgerald and former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. Both seem like eventual locks to get in.
Boldin will likely not be a first ballot Hall of Fame, and sometimes even the all-time great wide receivers can have a bit of a wait to get in, but his career totals and the fact he has a Super Bowl ring (with the 2012 Baltimore Ravens) might help tip the scales for him down the line.
Budda Baker
As far as current Cardinals go, defensive back Budda Baker is a player that has a chance to play his way into the discussion.
While he has not always produced big turnover numbers (seven interceptions in seven seasons), he is still a fantastic and highly regarded defensive star and one of the best defensive backs in the league.
He has already been named to six Pro Bowls and is a two-time first-team All-Pro. He is the heart and soul of the Cardinals current defense, and if they turn things around in the standings and start to find success his star is only going to rise. Especially if he stays in Arizona long-term.
