The annual Pro Bowl Games rosters were revealed on Tuesday. As always, some players will be left in the cold this winter.
With 88 total spots broken up between the AFC and NFC, and each position capped, it's impossible for every worthy player to be included. The initial list is sure to bring about hot takes about who should and shouldn't have made the squads. Hence, "snub" lists exist.
Personally, I don't take this yearly adventure as an opportunity to trash those who made the squads. Rather, this exercise is better formulated as a chance to highlight players who, for one reason or another, were overlooked. The circular game of "who would you replace" is an affront to talented players who made the initial rosters. It's not necessary. We can celebrate them all and use this as a place to suggest eventual replacements when players bow out -- whether due to playing in the Super Bowl, injury or other issues.
I don't begrudge anyone who takes issue with my choices, and, surely, I will wind up doubly snubbing someone who didn't make my top-10 list.
We must shoehorn a special-teamer in. Dallas' Brandon Aubrey is probably going to be penciled into the Pro Bowl until his leg falls off, but we can use this space to point out that Reichard has had an excellent season. Reichard's 5.6 field goals made over expected is tied for most in the NFL with Aubrey and his 19.3% FG percentage over expected sits No. 2, per Next Gen Stats. The Vikings kicker has missed only two boots all season -- the infamous 51-yarder in London and a 53-yarder against the Chargers -- for a 93.1 field-goal success rate. He has been perfect on all 28 point after tries (PATs). It’s not as if Reichard has feasted on chip shots. His 11 attempts from 50-plus yards are tied for fourth-most in the league, and he nailed a season-long 62-yarder.
A rocky early season for the Steelers defense and low sack numbers likely kept the seven-time Pro Bowler off this year’s list. Heyward has just 3.5 sacks, with two coming in the past two weeks. However, Heyward has stormed through the stretch run. The 36-year-old interior defender remains a menace, generating 48 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Heyward has helped turn around a sieve-like run defense, generating 41 run stops this season with a -28.0 run-stop EPA, both third-most among DTs. Heyward has swallowed ball-carriers when he’s at the point, missing a lone attempt on the season, per PFF. When things looked dismal for the Steelers four weeks ago, veterans like Heyward improved their play, pushing Pittsburgh to the precipice of the postseason.
The Dolphins' season has spiraled, but Miami has a few players who, in my book, were worthy of Pro Bowl nods.
Brooks has played at an All-Pro level this season, gobbling up tackles. The 28-year-old leads the NFL with 169 total tackles, 93 solo and 12 tackles for loss. With so many tackles, you’d expect more misses. Instead, the linebacker has been a steady performer, generating a 4.9 miss-tackle percentage, third-lowest among LBs, per PFF. Brooks can also affect the quarterback, generating 17 QB pressures (11 quick) with 3.5 sacks and four QB hits.
On the other side of the ball, Brewer has been excellent opening holes in Mike McDaniel’s ground attack. Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane benefited from Brewer’s elite skill. Perhaps a tad undersized, Brewer showed this season that he’s an ideal pivot for McDaniel’s offense, able to get out in space and blow open holes at the second level. The Dolphins' rushing attack wouldn’t be as potent or creative without Brewer on the field. While pass-pro isn’t his forte, Brewer has allowed only one sack this season, per PFF.
For my money, Brown remains one of the most underrated players in the entire NFL. It’s mindboggling that far too few recognize the impact the big man has week in and week out. His return after missing most of last season completely altered the Panthers defense. The violence Brown plays with jumps off the screen. He is a rock in the middle, gobbling up defenders, swatting passes and swallowing up ball-carriers. He doesn’t stuff the stat sheet, which is one reason he’s overlooked. However, he’s generated a career-high five sacks this season and swatted seven passes at the line.
Perhaps no quarterback is more polarizing than the Green Bay signal-caller. There are stats to confirm whatever priors you enter the chat with. In an offense focused on the ground game, Love’s counting stats through Week 16 don’t jump off the page, with 3,381 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. The middling numbers make it easy to overlook Love, who is currently in concussion protocol after exiting Saturday's game. He’s on pace for a career-high 66.3 completion rate as a starter and has mostly avoided the disastrous turnovers that plagued him the past two seasons. The advanced Next Gen Stats metrics really love Love. The QB’s 0.2 EPA per dropback is tied for the top spot in the NFL with two MVP candidates -- Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye -- and his CPOE (3.8%) is top five. Love’s 72.8 QBR currently sits third at the position (behind Maye and Dak Prescott). The inconsistent Packers offense, with a juggling offensive line and injuries everywhere, has taken shine off Love’s efficient season, but if there is a QB who probably deserves to be considered a snub, it’s the Packers passer.
Dotson represents a dynamic Rams ground game that was overlooked in Pro Bowl voting -- Kyren Williams could easily be on this list for a second straight season. Apparently, run-blocking linemen don’t garner attention or accolades. Dotson is one of the premier ground-game road graders. He’s able to open lanes in Sean McVay’s scheme that turn 2-yard gains into 6- and 7-yard gashes. If you want to see how vital Dotson is to the Rams' rushing attack, go back and watch the Week 16 loss to the Seahawks. The difference in the Rams' rushing attack before and after the guard's ankle injury in the eventual collapse was evident.
The rest of the high-profile Houston defense seems to have overshadowed Pitre, who is staking a claim as the top slot defender in the NFL. A sticky cover man who can mirror shifty receivers and packs a wallop in the run defense, Pitre is an ideal slot. The 26-year-old’s -0.63 EPA per target is by far the best among slot corners and is best among all defensive backs (corner, safety, slot). Pitre has generated four INTs, 11 passes defended and 66 tackles. When Pitre gets downhill, whether against the run or pass, he makes sure his presence is felt. While we’re here, Kamari Lassiter, Calen Bullock and Danielle Hunter also deserved Pro Bowl consideration.
The world needs to start paying attention to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The sizable chip on their collective shoulder, which Liam Coen is smartly feeding, is going to get even bigger this week. The AFC South leaders, who have a shot at the No. 1 seed in the conference, have a singular Pro Bowler, long snapper Ross Matiscik.
There are numerous Jags players who could warrant consideration. Trevor Lawrence has come on hot. Travis Etienne is tied for sixth among running backs in scrimmage TDs (top RB in receiving TDs). Parker Washington has been dynamic as a returner. I’ll pick out two defenders who were snubbed for Pro Bowl consideration, Josh Hines-Allen and Devin Lloyd.
Hines-Allen has been a beast off the edge and doesn’t garner nearly enough attention. JHA ranks fourth in the NFL in QB pressures (71) and fifth in quick pressures (27). The edge rusher wins despite little surrounding help -- Arik Armstead is the only other Jags player with more than 26 total pressures.
Lloyd has enjoyed his best season, making plays at every level. The fourth-year pro has been excellent in coverage, generating five interceptions, tied for second-most in the league, with one returned for a 99-yard score. He’s made 70 tackles in 13 games. When he comes after the QB, the linebacker usually disrupts, netting 22 pressures on 84 pass-rush snaps – the 26.2 pressure rate is tops among players with at least 75 pass rushes. A free agent after the season, Lloyd has earned himself a nice payday.
