ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — No matter how good a player may be, it’s difficult to earn Pro Bowl distinction when playing on a team that is one defeat away from its third consecutive losing season.
Still, the Broncos wound up with four Pro Bowl players last year – Von Miller, Casey Kreiter, Phillip Lindsay and Chris Harris Jr. Miller was voted as a starting outside linebacker; Kreiter was selected by AFC coach Anthony Lynn and Harris and Lindsay were promoted from their top-alternate positions.
One problem the Broncos will have with making the AFC Pro Bowl team when its announced Tuesday night is the team’s three most deserving players this year – safeties Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons and receiver Courtland Sutton – come from stacked positions.
Not that the Broncos don’t have Pro Bowl candidates. I count at least 9 players deserving of Pro Bowl consideration, although the fear is the Broncos may wind up leading the league in Pro Bowl snubs.
*Kareem Jackson, safety
This is my first choice for a Broncos’ Pro Bowl selection. He gets my tiebreaker over Justin Simmons and Courtland Sutton because after 10 seasons, Jackson has to be the league’s best player who has never been to a Pro Bowl.
He was dominant in two Broncos victories this year – at the Los Angeles Chargers and at his former Houston Texans. He is fourth on the team with 69 tackles and second with two interceptions.
*Justin Simmons, safety
The Broncos’ most consistent defensive player from Week 1. He is second on the team with 76 tackles and leads with 3 interceptions and a whopping 13 pass deflections. Plus, he hasn’t missed a snap the past two years.
He should be a no-brainer Pro Bowler, but he’s not because there are several other dynamic AFC safeties this year, starting with the Ravens’ Earl Thomas, the Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Titans’ Kevin Byard, the Jets’ Jamal Adams and the Patriots’ Devin McCourty.
*Courtland Sutton, receiver
Definitely Pro Bowl-caliber although four AFC receivers are ranked statistically higher in DeAndre Hopkins, Julian Edelman, Jarvis Landry and Keenan Allen. Tyreek Hill also figures to get strong consideration despite his injury-plagues season. Sutton at the very least should be a top alternate and should wind up playing in the Pro Bowl.
*Chris Harris Jr., cornerback
He made it as an alternate last year, his fourth Pro Bowl appearance. Outside of New England’s Stephon Gilmore and Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White, there’s not a strong group of AFC corners this year. At last count, Baltimore’s Marcus Peters was the top vote-getter at the position and he’s only been in the conference eight games after he was traded from the Rams.
Peters’ partner Marlon Humphrey has had a strong year. Pittsburgh’s Joe Haden, Jacksonville’s A.J. Bouye and the Chargers’ Casey Hayward Jr are candidates, but Harris has a chance to make it as a backup or top alternate again.
*Von Miller, outside linebacker
After getting named to the Pro Bowl seven of the past eight years and the last five years in a row, it’s possible Miller makes it on his star status. But with 6.0 sacks he has not had his usual Pro Bowl-caliber season. He may need to heal up his left knee injury, anyway.
*Phillip Lindsay, running back
Not including quarterback Lamar Jackson, Lindsay is 8th among AFC rushers with 817 yards. So after becoming the first-ever undrafted rookie selected to Pro Bowl last year, Lindsay will have to hope for dropouts to make it as an alternate this year.
*Alexander Johnson, inside linebacker
If the Pro Bowl were based on play from weeks 5 through 14, Johnson would be a cinch. He’s been one of the more dynamic inside linebackers in the league as he not only has 75 tackles in nine games, he has 1.5 sacks, an interception, four quarterback hits, four tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles.
*Todd Davis, inside linebacker
Even though he missed the first two games with a calf injury, leads the team with 103 tackles. He’s got an active streak of five consecutive games with at least 10 tackles.
Again, the competition is steep at this position in which only two players make the Pro Bowl roster. Houston’s Zach Cunningham and Bernardick McKinney, the Colts’ Darius Leonard and the Browns’ Joe Schobert figure to get top consideration, but Davis should become an alternate.
*Derek Wolfe, defensive lineman
Pro Bowl balloting was completed Friday so he only missed one game because of his elbow injury. He had a career-best 7.0 sacks from an interior defensive front position so he’s had a Pro Bowl-caliber year.
A long-shot who would be iffy to play anyway in the all-star game January 26 in Orlando because of his elbow injury.
Others: Casey Kreiter, long snapper; Brandon McManus, kicker; Shelby Harris, defensive lineman.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Sports
