the 2,000 yards isn't the only things that would put him over the top. If he had rushed for 1,999 yards in the 1998 season you wouldn't consider that to be a great season? No running back in the history of the league had a better 3 year stretch than Davis, and the Broncos won 2 Super Bowls during that stretch on top of it. I think length of career is a viable argument when a player is on the verge of doing great things but doesn't accomplish them due to injury, but in Davis' case he had already established himself among the greats and had a stretch that was better than anyone had ever done before and since.
That is debatable. What is not debatable is that Kenny Easley (possibly a top 5 safety of all time) goes before Davis but won't get in either.
