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 the top three. Here are the top Pro Bowl candidates for the Denver Broncos.
Top Midseason Denver Broncos Pro Bowl Candidates
Von Miller
Von Miller is currently second in the NFL with 9.5 sacks, behind only Lorenzo Alexander for the Buffalo Bills who has ten. He has been widely considered one of the best pass rushers in the league since being drafted second overall by the Broncos in 2011. The sixth-year pro also has 35 tackles and a forced fumble to go along with his sack total. Miller continues to be the heart and soul of the Broncos defense, after leading them to a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers where he recorded 2.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. Miller will more than likely continue to get to opposing quarterbacks, and could once again end up leading the NFL in sacks.
T.J. Ward
T.J. Ward has arguably been the best player on the Broncos defense so far this season. Currently, Ward leads the Broncos in tackling with 60 and also has a sack to go along with his plethora of tackles. The fact that Ward leads the team in tackling as a safety is extremely impressive, especially considering the amount of talent the Broncos have on their defense.
The Broncos have an exceptional linebacking corps to go along with Miller, including Brandon Marshall, Todd Davis and Shane Ray. The Broncos linebackers are second, fifth, sixth and seventh in tackling, with Davis leading the way. Ward’s ability to read the offense’s play-calling and make quick breaks on the ball carrier make him an exceptional safety and give the Broncos some much-needed run support. Ward’s dependability as a tackler allows Miller and Ray to rush the passer freely off of both edges, while he and the interior linebackers take care of stopping the run.
Chris Harris Jr.
Harris was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Broncos in 2011. Since then, he has been a pivotal part of the Broncos pass defense. So far this season, Harris has recorded 44 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. Although he only has one interception so far, that can mainly be attributed to the fact that opposing quarterbacks don’t challenge him often.
Aqib Talib, fellow starting cornerback for the Broncos, is currently tied for third in the league in interceptions with three, likely because opponents would rather challenge Talib than to throw in the direction of Harris. Harris’ interception stats may not be the most eye-popping, but his lock-down coverage makes him one of the best cover cornerbacks in the game right now.
Honorable Mention
Aqib Talib
As mentioned earlier, Talib leads the Broncos with three interceptions, tying him for third in the NFL. Talib is the emotional leader of the Broncos defense, as he can constantly be seen getting the crowd and teammates alike pumped up for the next play. Talib has been known to let his emotions get the best of him sometimes, like when he deliberately poked Indianapolis Colts tight end, Dwayne Allen, in the eye last season. If Talib can continue to rack up the interceptions, he could also be selected to the Pro Bowl along with his teammate, fellow cornerback, Chris Harris.
