NFL Pro Bowl: Predicting the biggest NFC snubs of 2018

The NFL Pro Bowl voting is bound to pick up in the second half of the season with a ton of big names likely to see a runaway sprint to claim the honor.

However, like every other year not everybody who deserves it will be able to make the trip. There’s always going to be certain players who get overlooked either because of stiff competition, bad reputation or simply not playing on a successful enough team. That’s what makes the voting process itself so flawed. Regardless, it’s fair to ask which names across the NFC might be lining up to feel that sting. Here are five that are the most likely.

Kirk Cousins (QB, Minnesota Vikings)

Everybody knows that basically Drew Brees and Jared Goff are locks for the trip at this point. Then there’s Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan who are both having good years too and they’re big names. Amidst all that, Cousins has been tremendous. He’s completing over 71% of his passes, is second in passing yards in the NFC and has thrown 17 touchdowns to five interceptions. Yet being behind that list of names and also playing second fiddle to a good defense will rob him this year.

Tarik Cohen (RB, Chicago Bears)

One thing about the NFL that can be maddening at times? They tend to ignore the stat of total yards from scrimmage. Instead they focus on yards based on the position. That’s why guys like Cohen never get greater recognition. Here’s a guy with 635 total yards and four touchdowns despite touching the ball just 80 times this year. That’s incredible bang-for-buck. His big-play ability is apparent every week and a huge part of why the Bears are winning.

Brandin Cooks (WR, Los Angeles Rams)

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Goff. Todd Gurley. Cooper Kupp. The Rams offense has a lot of weapons. That makes it hard for certain guys to get noticed. Cook has been exactly the sort of threat they were hoping for. He has 757 yards on just 41 catches so far with three touchdowns. Defenses routinely have a hard time stopping him. One would think being on pace for at least 1,400 yards would be enough. Yet the field ahead of him with Adam Thielein, Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, and Odell Beckham may squeeze him out.

DeForest Buckner (DT, San Francisco 49ers)

Playing on bad teams can make it difficult to reach a Pro Bowl and that’s the predicament that Buckner finds himself in. He’s looking at 10 sacks this year and has been dominant for long stretches of the season. He hasn’t enjoyed near the same benefits of help around him that Aaron Donald has. He’s a beast. Sadly until his team starts winning more football games, not enough people are going to notice for it to matter.

Tre Boston (S, Arizona Cardinals)

This day and age are about turnovers right? The best defensive backs take the ball away. Boston is proving yet again that he’s one of the best safeties in the league at this. He had five interceptions last year with one team and now after switching to the Cardinals this year he already has three. That’s eight picks in one and a half seasons for two different teams. Sadly he’s doing it for Arizona who are in the midst of a down year.

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