ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the 19 days since former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis and six others were selected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there has been the usual banter about who did, and didn’t, get in.

Every organization in the NFL has five or six former players, coaches or owners who are thought to be slam dunks for the Hall.

Multiply that five or six by 32, and it adds up to a whole lot more than the five slots allowed each year for modern-era finalists to become Hall of Famers. The number of those making the Hall will never come close to the number of strong candidates. This year alone, seven all-decade players, the best of the best, didn’t make the cut after being among the 15 finalists.

This exclusiveness has directed some of the discussion toward Davis. In my mind, he had always been a Hall of Famer in waiting. But parts of the hot-take world believe that Davis has somehow compressed the window of what makes a player worthy of the Hall of Fame. The thinking is that Davis, who played just seven NFL seasons, has somehow “opened the door” for other players with seven or fewer years in the league.

The thing is, Davis hasn’t made it easier to be a Hall of Famer. No, he simply showed what it takes, and that bar won’t be reached by many.

Davis is a Hall of Famer because he was the rarest kind of player — one whose accomplishments will be difficult to repeat. The door to the Hall of Fame is exactly as narrow as it always has been. Davis earned his admission the same way everyone else with a gold jacket did — by being among the best the game has to offer.

So go ahead and believe a rush of players with shorter careers will commence marching toward Canton.

But when assessing each candidate, start by asking if the player was a league MVP.

Then check to see if the player was a Super Bowl MVP.

And be sure to determine whether the player was the driving force for not one, but two, Super Bowl wins for his team. (If you’re hesitant to call Davis the key player in the Broncos’ back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the 1997 and 1998 seasons, just ask John Elway. Or Mike Shanahan. Or anybody else who played alongside Davis and now has two Super Bowl rings.)

Washington Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson knows skeptics anticipated a short career for him, given his small stature. But, having turned 30 years old in December, and eyeing free agency in a little more than two weeks, Jackson is clear on this: He wants to play a while longer, perhaps as much as six years. And, yes, he’s thought about that happening with Philadelphia.

On Adam Schefter’s latest Know Them From Adam podcast, Jackson discussed free agency, a possible return to the Eagles and how he hasn’t yet lost a step. Jackson also spoke about what it means to have his son and how he thinks about his late father every day. It was the most I’ve heard Jackson speak about that topic, and it was interesting. You can listen to the extended interview here.

The question is, where will free agency take the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Jackson? There has been a lot of speculation about a possible return to Philadelphia. The Redskins haven’t ruled out his return, but it’s far from a guarantee — and, at this time, unlikely. Tampa Bay is a possibility, too, where he’d be paired with strong-armed quarterback Jameis Winston.

Besides wanting the best contract, Jackson said, “I would love to play with a great quarterback. I think Kirk Cousins is a great quarterback. He’s done some great things the past couple years as far as statistics. If it’s another team I have to go to, we know the business of the NFL. I would love to play with a great quarterback and take that to the next level.”

The Eagles, of course, drafted quarterback Carson Wentz second overall last spring. They lack deep-ball threats, too. There’s a chance Philadelphia will pursue Jackson or Redskins teammate Pierre Garcon.

The Washington Redskins and Kirk Cousins remain at an impasse, with one week left before the deadline for the franchise tag. It’s not exactly a surprising spot, considering the leverage of one side and the clear doubts on the other. And it makes sense for Cousins to stay unsigned.

So says a veteran of NFL front offices, Joe Banner.

He spent 17 seasons as president of the Philadelphia Eagles; two years as the CEO of the Cleveland Browns and two more years as a front office consultant to the Atlanta Falcons. He offers a unique perspective and understands the dilemma facing the Redskins — and Cousins’ unique position.

“If I was the agent, I’d want to see if they tag me before I did anything,” Banner said. “If they don’t tag me, I’d love to hit the open market and if they do tag me, use that as the base to open the negotiations. It’s pointless to negotiate now until the player and agent know whether or not they’re getting tagged.”

Here’s why: If the Redskins somehow let Cousins hit the open market, Banner said it would result in a big payday.

“He’d get a huge deal and would become the highest-paid QB by a moderate amount,” he said.

Cousins’ potential, and just how good he already is, has led to many debates. Banner places Cousins in the good-but-not-great camp. That doesn’t mean his pay would be commensurate.

“We’ve all wondered if a quality quarterback actually hit the market in his 20s where he had six or seven years left to play and total unrestricted free agency, what is his real market value?” Banner said. “We don’t know that. No one has had that opportunity or had the patience to get tagged twice. He’s now very close and in complete control and whether or not that happens, that’s a powerful place to be.”

Banner said the options here are clear. The Redskins can let Cousins walk (which he said he doesn’t believe they’re considering), tag him or do a long-term deal.

And that would lead to a deal that will cost quite a bit.

“The only way you get it done is if you pay him,” Banner said. “You probably have to make him the highest paid, at least to this point. Losing him is a terrible option. Keeping him on a one-year deal is the best under the circumstances, but it’s not a great option and having to overpay with a long-term deal with a huge signing bonus. If you think he’s the answer, it’s a no-brainer. But if you think he’s good but not good enough to carry the team, that’s problematic.”

The question is: If the Redskins tag Cousins, would there be a trade market? Banner said he could see someone wanting to trade for Cousins, but to a point. There will be other choices for teams in need of a quarterback, whether via trade (New England’s Jimmy Garoppolo), free agency (if Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor, Chicago’s Jay Cutler and San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick become free) or the draft.

The return after almost two full seasons on the sideline wasn’t what Victor Cruz anticipated. He finished with 39 catches for 586 yards and one touchdown, which came in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

There were games when the ball wasn’t even thrown in Cruz’s direction. There were games when he was merely an afterthought. There were afternoons when he ran 40-plus routes and his only opportunity resulted in a big play downfield. It was up, down and filled with inconsistent production.

There still were positives to take from the season. The comeback after missing almost two years with a torn patellar tendon and then a calf problem was inspiring. A torn patellar tendon has ruined many a career. Cruz at least looked the part of an NFL player when the ball was thrown in his direction.

That is an accomplishment. There are two injuries that players are scared of these days, according to Odell Beckham Jr. They are a torn patellar tendon and a ruptured Achilles. Cruz had the former, followed by a serious calf injury that robbed him of 2015. Just making it back from the injuries was encouraging for Cruz, and so was playing in 16 games (including playoffs) with only a minor ankle sprain keeping him from appearing in every Giants contest this past season.

“Staying healthy is obviously encouraging,” Giants coach Ben McAdoo said after the season.

But this is a business, and Cruz was cut last week. His production and lack of explosion made him expendable with Roger Lewis and Tavarres King, or a potential draft pick or free agent, as his replacement.

Cruz wasn’t an ideal fit on the outside opposite Beckham. After spending most of his career working out of the slot, Cruz was bumped outside to make room for rookie Sterling Shepard. It didn’t maximize his chance to succeed, and contributed to his departure.

Now Cruz is a free agent, a better fit for a team looking for a veteran to play in the slot. Suitors must determine how much he has left in the tank. Cruz says plenty. The other 31 teams will decide.

Free agent file

Victor Cruz

Position: Wide receiver

Age: 30

Experience: 6 years

Projected contract: 1 year, $2.5 million, $1 million guaranteed

(Note: The projected contract was derived from the average of five league sources surveyed. The panel consists of a front-office executive, salary-cap experts and agents.)

Comparable contracts: Anquan Boldin (Lions)