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 Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl candidates.
Top Midseason Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl Candidates
Cliff Avril
Cliff Avril, a graduate from Purdue University, is in the midst of his ninth NFL season. After spending his first five seasons with the Detroit Lions, he joined the Seahawks in 2013 as a free agent, and has been a contributor from day one, playing a major role in leading the franchise to their first Super Bowl win. In his fourth season in Seattle, Avril has put on an eye-popping performance, to say the least.
As one of the Seahawks’ most versatile defenders, he has a total of 22 tackles and 7.5 sacks so far in 2016. Named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October 2016, Avril has been a big factor of the Seahawks winning mentality, and the franchise will need continued contributions from him, if it hopes to make a run at another Lombardi trophy. With games against star quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Cam Newton, and Aaron Rodgers on the horizon, Avril’s pass rushing prowess will be relied upon in a very big way.
Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner has been a tremendous player since he was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. After playing college football at Utah State, Wagner came to Seattle where he was elected to the Pro Bowl twice. After winning a Super Bowl title, Wagner is hoping to snag more and prove himself among the top middle linebackers in the National Football League.
Seven games into the 2016 season, Wagner has 72 combined tackles, 43 solo tackles, with one sack and one interception. An extremely important fixture of one of the league’s most successful defenses, he is of vital importance to the Seahawks stop unit.
Christine Michael
Christine Michael was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. Prior to the 2015 season, Michael was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, where he was waived mid-way through the season. Later he joined the Washington Redskins for a short time on their practice squad before re-joining the Seahawks three months after they traded him.
Michael has been a great addition for Seattle since Marshawn Lynch (now retired) was injured along with currently injured sophomore Thomas Rawls. In 2016, Michael has been responsible for carrying most of the running load, and he has delivered to the tune of 446 yards and five touchdowns so far, with room to accumulate more. Even with rookie C.J. Prosise back from injury, and Rawls’ return to the lineup expected in the nest few weeks, Michael continues to make his case for the starting job with his impressive play.
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