Predicting the 2020s All-Decade Team - Offense
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The NFL’s All-Decade team is one of the most prestigious honors the league offers. Every 10 years, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee releases their list of the decade’s best players. Now that we are a few years into the 2020s, I teamed up with fellow PSF writer Uday Vashisth to make our predictions for who will make up the next All-Decade Team.
We’ll follow the outline used by the last two All-Decade teams, so if you’re wondering why only two quarterbacks make the list, that’s why. Obviously, there’s no way of truly knowing who will make the team, so although we’ll try to use sound reasoning, much of this list will be guesswork.
An important note: the different All-Decade teams feature slightly different positional terminology, especially regarding defensive ends and outside linebackers (nfl.com). This list will be composed of twenty-two players on both offense and defense, with all edge rushers in the Edge Rusher section and off-ball linebackers in the Linebacker section.
Quarterback - Joe Burrow, Josh Allen
Joe Burrow, coming off a Super Bowl loss, makes this list because we believe he can replicate that success. He may not be the fastest, or the strongest, or the biggest, but Burrow has an “it factor” about him. He’s calm under pressure, he’s accurate, he’s a masterful play extender, and he’s paired up with one of the best young supporting casts in football for years to come. Josh Allen has officially broken out as a superstar, and is widely known as one of the top three quarterbacks in the league right now. He’s a stellar deep passer with a rocket arm, he’s dangerous as a runner, and his size makes him very difficult to bring down. It’s only a matter of time, in our minds, before he matches Burrow and makes a Super Bowl, perhaps even winning it. Why no Mahomes? The Chiefs appear to be at an impasse at this point, with an aging Travis Kelce and no more Tyreek Hill. And since the 2020-21 season began, Mahomes has one Super Bowl appearance, which he lost, same as Burrow. So until we see the new-look Chiefs in action, Burrow seemed like the choice.
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Running back - Jonathan Taylor, Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson
We agreed on three names: Taylor, Henry, and Chubb. These three are all stellar runners with the football, and they each have solid offensive lines in front of them, a few years before they start to decline, and a strong resume already. The fourth spot was a topic of discussion, but given the short shelf life of running backs, we decided to include a player not yet in the NFL, one whose prime will likely come in the middle of the 2020s: University of Texas’ Bijan Robinson. Robinson has torched collegiate defenses, and was first-team All-Big 12 last season (big12sports.com). If he continues that success in the NFL he’s a lock for the All-Decade team.
Wide Receiver - Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Davante Adams
Once again, three names were consensus: Kupp, Jefferson, and Chase. Kupp just won the receiving triple crown, and still plays in one of the top offenses in football. A decline in play should not be expected. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Chase might be the two brightest stars in the whole league. The teammates at LSU who dominated the pros the moment they joined the NFL seemed like natural picks for the All-Decade team. The last inclusion was another discussion, but we decided on Davante Adams. He’s been absolutely stellar to start this decade, and if he can continue to put up top-five numbers on the Raiders it would be very difficult to leave him off of this list, despite his age.
(Photo by Brandon Magnus/Atlanta Falcons)
Tight End - Mark Andrews, Kyle Pitts
At tight end, our consensus pick was Mark Andrews. Since he stepped foot on an NFL field, his chemistry with Lamar Jackson was apparent. He’s really blossomed into an absolute star in Baltimore, and he was the easy choice for the future of the position. Secondly, we agreed on Kyle Pitts, who despite having one touchdown last year showed serious flashes of talent. With a new QB in Atlanta and another year of experience under his belt, Pitts should begin to meet the lofty expectations we have for him.
Offensive Tackle - Trent Williams, Tristan Wirfs, Terron Armstead, Evan Neal
The offensive tackle position was somewhat difficult to choose. We chose Trent Williams and Terron Armstead because they’re at the top of their game despite being over 30-years-old already. We expect the longevity of these two players to factor into their chances at this All-Decade team. On the flip side, Tristan Wirfs is one of the best young tackles in the NFL, and started the decade by winning the Super Bowl as a first-team All-Pro in his rookie year. Evan Neal, a top-10 pick in the 2022 draft, was in contention for the first overall pick this spring, and we believe his talent will make him an All-Decade team member.
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Offensive Guard - Zack Martin, Quenton Nelson, Brandon Scherff, Elgton Jenkins
There are plenty of elite guards that could have made this list, but the cream of the crop is easily Zack Martin and Quenton Nelson. Those two were locks for this list, and they’re joined by Scherff and Jenkins. Scherff has played at an elite level in Washington and should do the same in Jacksonville. Jenkins has played multiple positions across the offensive line but slots in most naturally at guard, and will play there when the Packers get healthy.
Center - Creed Humphrey, Frank Ragnow
Two of the best young centers in the league are Creed Humphrey and Frank Ragnow, and they’re prime candidates for this list. Humphrey is coming off of a stellar rookie season, and his cerebral style of play is integral to success in this league. Ragnow is an absolute mauler who sets the tone for the kneecap-biting Dan Campbell Lions. Although they have different styles, they’ve each got a shot at the All-Decade team.
Be sure to check back in next week when we release the defense, special teams, and coaches for our All-Decade predictions.