In our push to remind Hall of Fame voters that Steve Atwater is beyond deserving of a Hall of Fame selection in the Class of 2019, we don’t want to overlook the cornerback dominance that was Champ Bailey.
Because he was good.
Entering the league in 1999 as the seventh overall draft pick for the Washington Redskins, Bailey turned in four Pro Bowl seasons in his first five years in the league before a blockbuster trade to the Broncos in 2004 in exchange for Denver’s star running back Clinton Portis.
With a $63 million contract, Bailey assured Broncos fans he would be worth the trade.