The Green Bay Packers are continuing a march toward the playoffs, but with the season coming down to five games, some of the talk will temporarily shift toward the Pro Bowl. The league’s annual showcase has fallen from the days when Sean Taylor laid out Brian Moorman back in the day, but it still has benefits to the players who are selected, including lucrative contract bonuses and even a Hall of Fame case someday.
For the 8-3-1 Packers, there are several players who have made their case to head to San Francisco at the end of the year. (Assuming they’re not playing in the Super Bowl, of course.) With that in mind, here are some players who are on track to make their Pro Bowl debuts this season.
1. Jordan Love, QB
Love’s trip to the Pro Bowl may as well be the free space on the Packers’ bingo card. In his third season as a starter, he put together his most consistent season, completing a career-high 67% of his passes for 2,794 yards, 19 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Perhaps the most important aspect has been that Love has done all of this without his top weapons, as wideouts Jayden Reed and Christian Watson, along with tight end Tucker Kraft, have all missed extensive time due to injury.
Leading one of the best teams in the NFL is always a good way to earn a Pro Bowl selection, and it might be shocking that Love hasn’t earned a trip so far in his career. But after putting together a complete performance this season, Love may have finally put himself in the realm of the NFC’s elite.
2. Zach Tom, OT
If you’re surprised about Love not getting a Pro Bowl nod, Zach Tom might elicit a similar reaction. The Packers paid Tom like a Pro Bowler at the beginning of the season, agreeing to a four-year, $88 million contract extension, and although he battled a hip injury throughout the year, he remained one of the league’s best offensive tackles.
According to Pro Football Focus, Tom’s 82.5 overall grade ranks seventh among 118 offensive tackles this season. He also ranks third among NFC tackles behind Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions and Andrew Thomas of the New York Giants, cementing his status as one of the best in the conference. With 13 pressures allowed on 290 pass-rushing snaps (4.4% pressure rate), Tom deserves his first selection and to remain a pillar of the Packers’ offensive line as they continue their playoff push.
3. Romeo Doubs, WR
The third addition to this list was difficult. Several players on the defensive side deserve a Pro Bowl selection, but while Isaiah McDuffie (special teams), Evan Williams (safety), or Keisean Nixon (cornerback) have had strong years, they aren’t among the NFC’s elite or don’t have flashy stats like interceptions or forced fumbles to solidify their case.
If there’s one player that could benefit from this, it’s Romeo Doubs. Doubs’ fast start hasn’t continued in recent weeks, but some things are going his way. His 45 catches for 542 yards and five touchdowns could get fatter over the final five weeks, and with some of the Pro Bowl selections influenced by a fan vote, a three-touchdown performance against a nationally televised audience in Week 4 could stick in the mind of voters.
This could send Doubs to his first Pro Bowl and potentially make him harder to re-sign next spring.