SIlver Minings: Charles Woodson is finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame

This has always been a formality.

On Tuesday, Raiders’ great defensive back Charles Woodson took the final step before being elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month. The Hall of Fame announced that Woodson is one of 15 modern day finalists to be elected into the Canton, Ohio, museum. The vote will take place Feb. 6.

There is virtually no chance Woodson won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He and quarterback Peyton Manning (they entered the NFL together in 1998) have long been considered the headliners of this class.

There is a strong chance Woodson, who retired after the 2015 season, will be elected with former Raiders’ coach Tom Flores, who is a senior nominee.

In other Raiders links:

• Preview of greatness? The Athletic thinks the Raiders’ 2021 offense can be great.
• Littleton knows he needs to get better: Linebacker Cory Littleton knows his first season in Las Vegas wasn’t good enough.
• Where do Raiders rank? Here is ProFootballTalk’s final 2020 power rankings.
• Raiders’ talk: Here is a season-end podcast from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.