Is Edgerrin James Hall-worthy? Chances iffy

Defiantly, or perhaps obliviously, Edgerrin James told reporters in Seattle last month, ``It's up to me how long I want to play and how far I move up that [all-time rushing] chart.'' If only.

The Seahawks cut James this week and, as a high-mileage 31-year-old running back in sharp decline, the great former Miami Hurricane might be done with his NFL career because the league says so -- not him.

James inched up to 10th on the all-time list with 12,246 yards and even as a reserve may have had the chance this season to climb to eighth, ahead of Jim Brown (12,312) and Marshall Faulk (12,279). Now, 10th might be as high as he gets.

The Hall of Fame could be James' next career climb, but that's steep and I'd call his chances iffy. Four Pro Bowls, two rushing titles and only one first-team All-Pro season (as a rookie in 1999) might be too modest a résumé for even a top-10 yardage niche to overcome. A 4.0 career yards-per-carry average doesn't help.

An indication of James' Canton hopes could come in 2010 when Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis become eligible. They rank fourth and fifth in career yards, yet are not seen as locks. If either gets in, James could have a chance, albeit one I wouldn't bet on.



(miamiherald.com)