How many current Cleveland Browns will eventually end up in the Hall of Fame?

With the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s announcements this week of a total of 98 candidates for the Class of 2026, between 52 former players, 12 coaches, and 34 senior candidates, the selection process towards the revelation of the next batch of enshrinees is well underway.

A total of eight former players and coaches with ties to the Browns organization are among the candidates for next year’s ceremony, with a chance to join the already 26 enshrinees in the Hall of Fame with a Cleveland connection.

With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder how many future Hall of Famers are on Cleveland’s current roster. One look at the team’s current configuration shows two sure-fire members, but not much else, unfortunately.

Myles Garrett, Defensive End

Although the Browns’ best defensive player stated recently a few months ago that “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton”, that might just be the road he’s on.

Garrett asked to be traded from Cleveland last February, and he made the statement on social media as a way to underscore the fact that he desired to go to a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Of course, that was before a four-year 160 million dollar extension signed in March, but the fact remains that Garrett is well on his way to Canton, thanks to his on-field feats. When he takes over a game, he's virtually unblockable.

The NFL’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year has already notched 107.5 sacks in his career, placing him 33rd all-time (tied with Pat Swilling) and sixth among active players. Among those with more sacks than Garrett’s, 15 are already enshrined in the Hall and a few others lock-ins are just waiting to be eligible, such as Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt.

At 29 years old, Garrett’s resumé also includes six Pro Bowl nominations and four first-team All-Pro nods, along with two second-team All-Pro designations. He also placed third in the Defensive Player of the Year race in 2024, and fifth in 2022, and should be considered one of the front-runners this season, as well.

Garrett was taken first overall in the 2017 NFL Draft in hopes of adding a future Hall of Famer who could lead the defense for a decade or more, and that’s exactly what Cleveland got. Still in the prime of his career, Garrett will surely be producing huge numbers for a number of years before we start to see any decline in his game.

Joel Bitonio, Offensive Guard

Not many people outside of Cleveland realize just how good Bitonio has been for the last decade or so, due in part to the fact he’s played on some terrible offenses. But trust me, Bitonio deserves a spot in Canton.

Overshadowed a bit by HOF-caliber players on more successful or higher-profile teams such as Dallas’ Zack Martin, Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda or Indianapolis’ Quenton Nelson -- among others -- during most of his playing career, Bitonio has been the steadiest player on the Browns offense since Hall of Famer Joe Thomas lined up next to him at left tackle.

A seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro in his 12-season career so far, Bitonio still has a lot to contribute to the Browns’ offense, playing in a position which can frequently allow longevity regardless of the attrition associated with playing in the trenches.

Bitonio recently made some team history by starting his 168th game for the Browns, the most since 1999, the franchise’s rebirth season.

After Garrett and Bitonio, the player with the best chances for consideration should be cornerback Denzel Ward. But as good as the four-time Pro Bowler has been since arriving via the first round of the 2018 Draft, one year after Garrett, it’s hard to state that he has sustained elite level during his time in Cleveland.

Maybe one day we’ll be talking about newcomers Quinshon Judkins or Carson Schwesinger in the same glowing terms as Garrett or Bitonio. But for now, Canton’s doors are set to open in the future with a high degree of certainty for just two of Cleveland’s current players.