As the NFL’s 100th season comes to a close with the San Francisco 49ers versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54, Orlando, Florida’s Camping World Stadium sets the stage for the 2020 Pro Bowl January 26 at 3 P.M. ET on ESPN. With the Niners and the Chiefs competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, a combined total of 10 Pro Bowlers will miss out on the superstar showcase, opening the door for a heightened number of well-deserving replacements, who were previously Pro Bowl Snubs.
In every professional sports league’s All-Star contest, however, there will always be a handful of meritorious players who will, unfortunately, watch the action at home. To highlight these recognition-worthy contributors, Last Word On Sports presents its seventh-annual edition of “Top 10 Pro Bowl Snubs.”
Top 10 Pro Bowl Snubs: 2019 Season Edition
- Aaron Jones – Running Back, Green Bay Packers
For much of Aaron Rodgers’ tenure with the Packers, the team’s rushing attack–particularly from one player–has been almost nonexistent. Third-year rusher Aaron Rodgers, however, has provided stability to the Green Bay backfield. As a 2017 rookie, Jones led the team with four rushing touchdowns while placing second in rushing yards (448). Concluding 2018 with 728 yards on the ground and eight scores, he averaged nine touches per game and held a league-best 5.5 yards per carry mark over a two-year span. Starting all 16 games in 2019, Jones set career highs in rushing attempts (236), yards (1,084), touchdowns (16) and yards per game (67.8); his 16 rushing scores were best in the NFL for the campaign. Only being 25 years of age, Jones’ career is ascending. As Aaron Rodgers continues to age, the former UTEP running back’s contributions will continue to be needed.
2. Ryan Ramczyk – Right Tackle, New Orleans Saints
This isn’t the first time that Ryan Ramcyzk has been snubbed out of a Pro Bowl selection. Drafted 32nd overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ramcyzk made an immediate impact by starting all 16 games and grading out as the top rookie offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus. His presence greatly aided the production of running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, a duo that became the first pair in NFL history to each record over 1,500 scrimmage yards. After being designated as First-team All-Pro in 2018, Ramcyzk earned the title again this season, finishing as PFF’s top-rated tackle in the process. Surrendering no sacks throughout the year, a second Pro Bowl snub for the third-year man is unjustifiable. Regardless of how the Saints handle their important quarterbacking future, Ramcyzk needs to remain one of the franchise’s cornerstone pieces moving forward.
3. Demario Davis – Linebacker, New Orleans Saints
Alike teammate Ryan Ramczyk, Demario Davis earned First-team All-Pro honors without an all-star game invite. Spending his first six seasons with the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns, Davis signed a three-year/$24 million deal with the Saints in Free Agency. Though his debut season in New Orleans was slightly worse statistically than his last year in New York, Davis did set a career high in sacks. His week-to-week output played a critical role in helping the Saints place second in the league against the run during the 2018 season. Setting a personal-best 12 passes defended this season, he has shown his versatility in pass coverage as well. With his team once again boasting a top-five ground defense, Pro Football Focus’ top-rated linebacker has been one of the league’s most underrated off-season acquisitions in recent years. As was Jonathan Vilma in 2008, the Saints signing an available defender from the Jets proved to be smart even a decade later.
4. Preston Smith – Linebacker, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers front office has been criticized in reason years for not acquiring the requisite defensive pieces to aid Aaron Rodgers; in the 2019 off-season, the franchise made significant strides to collect quality defenders for their all-world passer. The team made a haul that featured safety Adrian Amos and linebacker Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. A Last Word On Sports Pro Bowl Snub from 2017, Amos set career highs in tackles and quarterback hits during his first season with the Packers. For his debut campaign in Green Bay, Za’Darius Smith also compiled a personal-best year with sacks, tackles, tackles for loss and quarterback hits to earn his trip to the NFL all-star game. Though Preston Smith also just completed his greatest season as a pro, he did not get his deserved trip to Orlando. Following a respectable stint with the Washington Redskins, Smith continued his productivity by posting 12 takedowns, 37 quarterback hits, 56 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Starting in all 16 contests, his play was a key reason why the Packers placed ninth in total defense. Even though the team finished 2019 on an underwhelming note, Za’Darius Smith should get credit for having a more-than-solid year.
- Allen Robinson – Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears
Football fans will be hard pressed to find a pass-catcher with worse luck than Allen Robinson. Despite the displayed dependability in his young career, Robinson has endured underwhelming quarterback play from both Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky. Claiming his lone Pro Bowl selection with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015, the wideout signed a three-year/$42 minion deal with the Chicago Bears in 2018. After a decent inaugural season for the team, Robinson rebounded with a career-high 98 receptions for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s only the third wide receiver to eclipse the 93-catch plateau in the Bears’ long and storied history. Chicago’s offense as a unit has hindered the team’s potential, but Robinson has more than done his part to improve the overall output. Regardless of who will be the next Bears signal-caller, having Robinson will be crucial in making the franchise more dynamic on that side of the ball.
6. Anthony Harris – Safety, Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have boasted of football’s most talented rosters. Position by position, they don’t have many glaring holes at any place. The team has been most tough to beat when their defense clicks at every level. Contributors such as Harrison Smith, Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter have become household names, and Anthony Harris is not far behind that league-wide recognition. Coming out of the University of Virginia in 2015, Minnesota signed Harris as an undrafted free agent. His decreased draft stock was due to injury and his thin frame for the position. Combining for only four passes defended in his first three seasons, Harris tallied six deflections and three interceptions in nine starts during 2018. Posting a career year statistically, including garnering a league-leading nine interceptions, he was Pro Football Focus’ highest-ranked safety in football in 2019 with a 91.1 grade.
- Justin Simmons – Safety, Denver Broncos
With Peyton Manning’s departure from the franchise, the defense has been increasingly important for the Denver Broncos. The team’s continuous struggles at the quarterback position have made the defensive presence even more paramount. Von Miller was once again dubbed as a Pro Bowler, but Justin Simmons was even more worthy of an all-star nod. In four NFL terms, Simmons has collected 289 tackles, 28 pass deflections and 11 interceptions. Starting a full regular season for the second time in 2019, the 26-year-old defensive back finished second to Anthony Harris as PFF’s best-graded safety. Though not a perennial Pro Bowler, his play was a catalyst in Denver’s top-ten defense this year. With Von Miller now in his thirties, the Broncos may look to Simmons to become their next star defender.
8. D.J. Moore – Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers
Carolina has had a tough time with replacing franchise great Steve Smith at wide receiver. Kelvin Benjamin had an auspicious beginning to his career, but he proved to be a disappointment. Otherwise, the Panther targets—outside of tight end Greg Olsen—have been adequate yet non-transcendent. In just a short span, however, D.J. Moore may become the exception. After collecting 55 passes for 788 yards and two touchdowns as a 2018 rookie, Moore set personal highs in each of the aforementioned categories. His 87 catches in 2019 were the most by a Panthers wide receiver since Steve Smith’s 103 receptions in 2005. Moore’s stat line is overlooked because of the versatile dominance of the team’s All-Pro running back, Christian McCaffrey. Moreover, just the NFC South division by itself is stacked with top-tier wideouts like Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who each achieved Pro Bowl status this year. Davante Adams of the Packers has remained reliable, but Moore was more deserving of his trip to Orlando.
- Cooper Kupp – Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were one of the big disappointments of 2019, but Cooper Kupp was one of the team’s bright spots. In his 2017 rookie season, Kupp tallied 62 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns en route to becoming a member of the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team. After an injury-riddled 2018, the third-year pass-catcher finished with career tops in receptions (94), yards (1,161) and touchdowns (10) in 14 starts. The 94 grabs were the most by a Rams receiver in a single season since Torry Holt’s 102 mark in from 2005. With running back Todd Gurley’s health being an ongoing issue, Los Angeles will need the presence of Kupp increasingly more, among their other skill position players.
10. Darren Waller – Tight End, Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders quietly ranked 11th in total offense for the 2019 season, and Darren Waller is much thanks to that placing. Battling substance abuse obstacles through his first three years as a pro, Waller got cleared and made himself available for a 16-game slate. As a result, he finished this campaign with 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. His catch and yardage numbers were second only to perennial Pro Bowler Travis Kelce at the tight end position. George Kittle, who placed two spots behind Waller in grabs at tight end, was named First-team All-Pro. Waller’s low touchdown total may have been the culprit for his all-star omission, but he was highly active throughout the year, nonetheless.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
