The Houston Texans are sending a trio of players to the Pro Bowl.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson is going for his second time, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins now has four Pro Bowl bids to his name and left tackle Laremy Tunsil can call himself a Pro Bowler for the first time in his four-year career.
All three deserve to go to Orlando, Fla., in late January for the annual all-star game. However, the 9-5 Texans could have sent a few more; specifically, six roster members should be heading with Watson, Hopkins, and Tunsil to Central Florida.
1. RB Carlos Hyde
It was always going to be tough for Carlos Hyde to make the Pro Bowl. Star running backs rule the AFC with deserving rushers Mark Ingram, Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry making the Orlando roster.
If Josh Jacobs, a leading offensive rookie of the year candidate, couldn’t get in, then it was going to be tough sledding for Hyde.
However, the 29-year-old has an argument for making the roster. Splitting carries with Duke Johnson, the sixth-year former Buckeye has had a career season in 2019 with 1,030 rushing yards (10th in the NFL) for five touchdowns and a 4.6 yards per carry.
“I really like the way Carlos runs the ball,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters Monday. “I think that he gets his pads down, I think he can run all the runs, he can run inside, he can run outside, he’s got really good vision, very coachable guy, good teammate, gets tough yards.”
Hyde was not named an alternate.