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Baltimore Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers

Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers: Despite their recent struggles, the six Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers (and one alternate) were certainly justified.
Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers

The final 2023 Pro Bowl rosters have been announced following voting from fans, players and coaches. In total, the Baltimore Ravens had six players nominated, with one more named as an alternate. The Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers are: Mark Andrews, Devin Duvernay, Pat Ricard, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith and Justin Tucker. The alternate was Nick Moore, the long snapper.

With six selections, the Ravens were behind only the Philadelphia Eagles (eight), Kansas City Chiefs (seven) and Dallas Cowboys (seven) in number of team selections. This also marks the fourth straight season that the Ravens have had at least five selections for the Pro Bowl.

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Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers

Baltimore’s success in the Pro Bowl nominations this year comes as no surprise. They were well represented in the early fan turnout, with two players leading at their position (Justin Tucker and Kevin Zeitler). The early indications also showed that Ravens players received the fourth most votes, behind the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins.

Ultimately, the Pro Bowl is a popularity contest. However, the Ravens have had a fairly impressive season, despite struggling of late. When voting opened, Baltimore were atop the AFC North, with many standout performers being potential Pro Bowl material. Currently, the team sit at 9-5 and have a 99% chance of making the playoffs. Their path to the playoffs got much rockier after an embarrassing 13-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Defeat meant that the Cincinnati Bengals overtook them in the race for the AFC North.

Despite their recent struggles, the six Ravens 2023 Pro Bowlers (and one alternate) were certainly justified.

Player-by-Player

Mark Andrews

This is Andrews’ third Pro Bowl, the most of any tight end in franchise history. He is the AFC’s TE2, behind Travis Kelce. Despite having a quieter season than in 2021 and missing a couple of games, Andrews’ selection here is no surprise.

So far, Andrews has accrued 61 receptions for 702 yards and five touchdowns. The numbers may not jump off the page, but he certainly passes the eye test. It is also important to remember that Andrews is often deployed as a blocker. This was especially the case before Lamar Jackson’s PCL injury.

Devin Duvernay

Duvernay makes the Pro Bowl for the second time as a return specialist. It ties the franchise record for Pro Bowl selections as a return specialist (Jermaine Lewis is the other). Duvernay had an awe-inspiring 103-yard return touchdown against the Dolphins in Week 2 and has posted a season of highlights as a returner. His second consecutive selection to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist is no surprise.

Despite the good news, Duvernay’s season will undoubtedly be clouded by the broken bone in his foot he sustained during practice this week. The injury has ruled him out for two months, meaning he will miss the rest of the season. He will, however, return for the 2023 season. He is the third wideout on the team to suffer a season-ending injury after Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace.

The injury news is particularly disappointing given Duvernay’s impact on offense this year. He had an exciting start to the season and had been a key figure in the Ravens offense. Indeed, the 25-year-old had cemented his role as the team’s WR2 and gadget player. He also played a crucial role during Bateman’s first absence. The hope is that, over the off-season, Duvernay can continue to improve and be a consistent contributor for the Ravens offense next season too.

Pat Ricard

Ricard’s fourth straight Pro Bowl comes as no surprise. His four selections put him at third for most Pro Bowl selections for an offensive player in Ravens history. The two ahead of him are true legends of the game: Marshal Yanda (eight) and Jonathan Ogden (11). He is a household name at the fullback position and is arguably only second in the league to Kyle Juszczyk.

The 28-year-old has been one of the most consistent players on the Ravens offense this season. Despite their inability to hold leads in the fourth quarter, the Ravens run game has seen a drastic improvement due to Ricard’s blocking. He has done an excellent job of paving the way for J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards since their respective returns from injury. He has also carried the rock in short-yardage situations a few times.

Marlon Humphrey

2023 marks the third time Humphrey has been selected for the Pro Bowl. This season, he has had 62 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. While the numbers do not pop off the page, Humphrey has established himself as one of the league’s top shutdown corners.

Humphrey’s third Pro Bowl selection ties the franchise record for most by a cornerback. He is considered one of the most valuable players on the team, as a player and a leader.

Roquan Smith

The Ravens traded for Smith from the Chicago Bears and, in his first (half) season in Baltimore, Smith has earned his first Pro Bowl. Since joining the team, the stud linebacker has proved his worth, elevating the whole defensive unit.

In 2022, Smith has 130 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions. He has been a jack-of-all-trades linebacker for the Ravens, defining what it means to be an impact player. He has also been essential in helping the development of Patrick Queen. The former Ravens first-round selection has struggled at times, but Smith has alleviated his responsibilities a bit.

Smith is currently in a contract year, and with such a strong season, it is expected that the Ravens will do their best to keep hold of him. He will be expensive though.

Justin Tucker

Tucker is unarguably the best player in the league at his position. He had a rough game against the Browns but that is a true rarity in Tucker’s career. His selection to the 2023 Pro Bowl is his sixth nomination, an impressive feat to say the least.

Tucker’s season has warranted a Pro Bowl selection. He has been as consistent as always and has been relied on to single-handedly win games for the Ravens. He also became the team’s top scorer of all time (1,476) and currently holds the record for most points scored by an NFL player in the first 11 years of a career.

Nick Moore (Alternate)

Moore is currently the long snapper for the Ravens. Most long snappers are not household names, meaning most fans likely have not heard of Moore. He has, however, been as reliable as ever. This season, the Ravens special teams units have had to adapt with rookie punter Jordan Stout. Stout is also the team’s holder now. Moore and Tucker have navigated through this however, and the transition from Sam Koch to Stout has been seamless.

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