The fan portion of the 2019 NFL season’s Pro Bowl voting has wrapped up, though that’s only one-third of the battle. The remaining two-thirds is up to coaches and players. This process is, of course, incredibly flawed. It’s full of bias from all parties who don’t have the time to watch every player from every team.
Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Tuesday, December 17 live on NFL Network’s Pro Bowl special “NFL Total Access: Pro Bowl Players Revealed” at 7:00 PM CT.
With that in mind, it’s time to dive into which players from the Dallas Cowboys roster, barring a miraculous Super Bowl run, who deserve a spot in Orlando.
Guard Zack Martin
Martin has paved the way, not only for running back Ezekiel Elliott, but also in terms of leading his position in fan voting. He’s so good it’s almost boring at this point. Martin is tied for sixth in pass block win-rate for guards across the NFL at 95%. He has only two penalties on the year and is the best player on the best offensive line in the league.
Center Travis Frederick
Frederick hasn’t been his usual dominant self in his first year back from the Guillain-Barré syndrome that robbed him of his 2018 campaign. Still, he is the anchor of the Dallas line, and hasn’t missed a snap all season all while committing only one penalty.
Quarterback Dak Prescott
Three quarterbacks will be sent to the Pro Bowl, and contrary to popular belief, one of the spots belongs to Prescott. He is second in the NFL in passing yards with a career high 4,334 and is tied for fourth in touchdowns with 26. His QBR is tops in the NFC and while his team’s record could be held against him, he’s kept the team afloat all season long.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott
It’s a tough hill to climb for Elliott in a crowded NFC in terms of running backs. He is still the preeminent bell cow in the league, and despite the lack of big plays on his resume this year, his ability to pick up blitzes and reputation as a top back should push him over the edge. His two closest competitors for the top spot (after Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey) are Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings and Chris Carson of the Seattle Seahawks.
Just Missed
Offensive tackle Tyron Smith
Smith’s reputation is such that he may make the team off of that alone, and while he is still very good, the narrative has turned against him. Injuries have cost him two games this year and he ranks outside the top 10 in pass block win rate at his position. He’s responsible for seven penalties on the season which could stick in voters’ minds. This could be the first time in six years he fails to make the Pro Bowl roster.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper
Cooper’s production has taken a hit in the second half of the season. Despite being in the top 10 in both yards and touchdowns at his position, the competition is fierce for the four available positions. Three of the top four receivers in production alone reside in the NFC, making this an uphill battle for Cooper to climb.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence
Ignore the sacks for just a minute. What Lawrence does down in and down out for the Cowboys is worth every cent. His double team rate ranks amongst the highest in the NFL, and despite that is No. 5 in pass rush win rate. No matter, despite the Pro Bowl being out of reach this year, Lawrence has been the team’s best defender.
Defensive end Robert Quinn
Copy and paste the paragraph above. Quinn is double teamed at an alarming rate but leads the league in pass rush win rate. The two games he missed due to suspension in the year likely removes him from contention due to not producing the volume sacks the voters will require.
Kicker Brett Maher
Just kidding.
The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its All-Star teams. It was also the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995.
[vertical-gallery id=636536][vertical-gallery id=636168][lawrence-newsletter]