Now that we are about halfway through the regular season, it is time to start considering which players are deserving of the Pro Bowl. For this series, we will look at the three most deserving candidates for each team. Obviously, some teams will have more, or less, than three players selected to the Pro Bowl, but for simplicity purposes, we will discuss their top three candidates for the honor. Here are the San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl candidates.
Top Midseason San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl Candidates
Philip Rivers
What is there to say about Philip Rivers that hasn’t already been said? The Chargers are 3-5, but it’s hard to blame Rivers for that. Guys like Derek Carr, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers may have better stats, but they all have much better weapons than Rivers. Carr has Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Ryan has Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman. Aaron Rodgers has Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, and Ty Montgomery.
River only has Antonio Gates (36 years old), Travis Benjamin, and Tyrell Williams. While Gates is undeniably a Hall of Famer, he’s been a non-factor this year. Gates has only 152 receiving yards and three touchdowns in six games. Hunter Henry is an up-and-coming young tight end, but he’s not quite ready yet.
Despite having an iffy supportive cast, the Chargers have scored 225 points. That’s the second most in the NFL, and the most in the American Football Conference. The Chargers have struggled in the win column this year, but they play in the AFC West, which is the best division in football.
So far, Rivers has thrown for 2,285 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, putting him on pace for 4,570 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Having an exceptional year with mediocre receivers is an impressive feat, and considering that most quarterbacks opt to skip the NFL’s All-Star game, Rivers will absolutely have his opportunity to go.
Joey Bosa
Believe it or not, despite missing the first four games of the season, rookie pass-rusher Joey Bosa should absolutely be a pro bowler this year. Pro Football Focus loves the former Ohio State Buckeye, including him on their list of the “Top 10 Breakout Players This Season“. The only edge-rushers with a higher PFF grade than Bosa are Von Miller of the Denver Broncos and Brandon Graham of the Philadelphia Eagles. Bosa has four sacks in only four games, and he has been a force against the run. It’s still very early, but since Bosa is earning Defensive Rookie of the Year Award consideration, the Pro Bowl should be a given.
Casey Hayward
Casey Hayward, a former Green Bay Packer, joined the team this off-season and has immediately made an impact. The former Vanderbilt Commodore has four interceptions, good for second in the NFL. He also has a PFF grade of 83.9 so far, which is among the best in the league. Against the Broncos last week, Hayward grabbed his fourth interception and took it 24 yards for the score. Jason Verrett was supposed to be the team’s corner, but after he suffered a torn ACL, Hayward has filled in nicely.
