The Red Zone Report

The 2008 NFL Hall of Fame class was announced today, and just like last year, six new members will be enshrined in Canton come August.

After last year’s class featured primarily offensive players (five offense, one defense), this year’s Canton class has a defensive edge to it.

One of the two offensive players to get in is former Redskins and Eagles receiver Art Monk got in on his eighth year of eligibility, and finally won’t have to worry about people calling him one of the best receivers to not be in the Hall of Fame

He’ll be joined by former Redskins teammate Darrell Green, who was the only candidate to get elected in his first year of eligibility.

The other four:

Fred Dean, DE: Dean played with the Chargers from 1975-81 and the 49ers from 1981-85, and recorded 93 sacks in his 11 seasons. In 1983, he had 17 sacks, which led the NFC, and had six in one game against the Saints, which was an NFL record at the time.

Dean was the 1981 UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 12 sacks in 11 games with the Super Bowl champion ‘Niners after his early-season trade from San Diego.

Emmitt Thomas, CB: Now the Falcons’ assistant head coach, Thomas was one of the NFL’s top defensive backs in the late 60s and 70s, playing all 13 of his seasons with the Chiefs (1966-78). The five-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro picked off 58 passes in his career, which is ninth on the all-time list. He had a career-high 12 picks in 1974, which is tied for fifth on the single-season record list.

Andre Tippett, LB: Tippett played his entire career with New England (1982-93) and finished his career with exactly 100 sacks. He had double-digit sacks in three seasons, with a career-high 18.5 in 1984, and 16.5 in 1985, the year he was the UPI‘s AFC Defensive MVP. He made the Pro Bowl each season from 1984-88, was selected All-Pro in those five seasons as well.

Gary Zimmerman, LT: Zimmerman was one of the best offensive lineman in the league throughout his career, making the Pro Bowl seven times and being named All-Pro nine times in his 12 NFL seasons (Vikings from 1986-92, Broncos from ‘93-97).

Zimmerman was drafted in the first round by the Giants in 1984, but played for the L.A. Express in the USFL in 1984 and 1985, then went to the Vikings, where he was an All-Pro in his ‘rookie’ season in ‘86. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for both the 80s and the 90s.

So who didn’t get in?

Former commish Paul Tagliabue, who’ll have to wait another year, and so will the likes of Cris Carter, Derrick Thomas, Ray Guy, Andre Reed, and Richard Dent.

The other finalists to not get in were former Denver linebacker Randy Gradishar, offensive linemen Bob Kuechenberg, Russ Grimm, and Randall McDaniel, and seniors committee nominee Marshall Goldberg, a running back with the Cardinals from 1939-43 and 1946-48.

Were the selections right? Who should have gotten in that didn’t? Who’ll be getting their bust next year?