Warner, Seau among first-time HOF nominees

There's a good chance Kurt Warner will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. (USATSI)

There are at least two really good Hall of Fame candidates among the 15 first-year eligible former players for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and you have to figure quarterback Kurt Warner and linebacker Junior Seau will have a good chance of getting in on the first ballot.

Warner and Seau join 13 other players for a chance to be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. That includes receiver Isaac Bruce, receiver Torry Holt, running back Jamal Lewis, running back Edgerrin James, tackle Orlando Pace, tackle Jon Jansen, offensive lineman Kevin Mawae, tackle Chris Samuels, tackle Tra Thomas, defensive end Jevon Kearse, cornerback Ty Law, cornerback Shawn Springs and kicker Jason Elam.

Altogether, a total of 113 nominees will be considered (99 players and 14 coaches) for enshrinement in 2015, and the finalist nominated by the senior committee is former Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff -- who was considered a pretty tough dude.

The selection committee will whittle down that list of 113 to 25 semifinalists in late November, and by early January, the 15 modern-era finalists will be announced.

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Redskins QB Robert Griffin III dislocates left ankle, MRI coming Monday



Fantasy owners have learned in the past couple of years to always hold their breath when Robert Griffin III is on the run. On Sunday, fears were realized on Washington's second offensive series. Griffin scrambled to the right and came down awkwardly on his left foot. He had to be carted off the field and was diagnosed with a dislocated ankle. How much time he'll miss will be determined by an MRI on Monday, but the team is reportedly hoping that Griffin is out for only four or five weeks.Kirk Cousins replaced Griffin and led the Redskins on seven scoring drives in their 41-10 drubbing of the Jaguars. Cousins completed 22 of 33 passes for 250 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers.



Griffin is one of those rare cases at quarterback where if you drafted him, you needed to handcuff him to his backup. And here's why. While the team is crossing its fingers for a month-long absence, Griffin might very well be finished for the season. Again, an MRI will determine how much damage has been done to that ankle. Cousins has a couple of favorable matchups in the next two weeks; he faces the Eagles on the road and then hosts the Giants before Washington's Week 5 bye. He looked very poised and polished against Jacksonville and is a worthy start in two-quarterback leagues. As badly as Griffin was playing prior to his injury, Cousins' presence doesn't hurt the values of any of Washington's skill-position players, and it might help Alfred Morris.