Eight Eagles Players Selected To NFC Pro Bowl Roster, Nine Others Listed As Alternates
Ahead of week 16 action, initial Pro Bowl rosters were announced across the National Football League. Here are the 17 Eagles players initially selected to attend the festivities in Las Vegas.
Eight Eagles Players Voted In
News broke Wednesday evening that the Philadelphia Eagles had eight players selected to the initial NFC Pro Bowl roster. In addition to the eight players, nine other Eagles players were chosen as alternates. The Eagles led the league with those eight selections.
Leading the charge is MVP frontrunner Quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts has accumulated 3,472 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and just five interceptions this season. He’s also added 747 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground. More importantly, the 24-year-old has led the Eagles to a 13-1 record, and the team is just a win away from clinching the NFC East. This will be Hurts’ first Pro Bowl appearance should the team be in a situation to send its players.
Next on the list is Eagles Running back Miles Sanders. Sanders is having his best season since being drafted by Philadelphia in 2018. Through 15 games, the former Penn State Nittany Lion has piled up 1,110 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. The 25-year-old sits at fifth in the league in yards, carrying the bulk of the workload for an Eagles rushing attack amongst the best in the league. This will be Sanders’ first Pro Bowl appearance.
Joining Hurts and Sanders in the offensive skill department is Wide Receiver A.J. Brown. Brown, a one-time Pro Bowler during his tenure with the Tennessee Titans, is having his most productive season. The pass-catcher out of Ole Miss has already set single-season records for receptions (74) and yards (1,201) with three games left to play in 2022. Philadelphia’s number-one receiver will put his skills on full display in Vegas should the Eagles attend the events in February.
Rounding out the Eagles’ offensive selections is a trio of offensive linemen. While all three are equally deserving of the selections, it’s hard to put anyone in front of Right Tackle Lane Johnson. Johnson has not allowed a sack since week 11 in 2020, an NFL record. Johnson will attend his fourth Pro Bowl. Center Jason Kelce was also selected to represent the Eagles. The signal-caller along the NFL’s best offensive line is now a six-time Pro Bowler, with four being All-Pro honors. Rounding out the group is first-time Pro Bowler Right Guard Landon Dickerson.
Switching gears to the defensive side of the ball, Defensive End Haason Reddick was voted in as a Pro Bowler after a fantastic statistical season thus far. Reddick sits in the top five in the NFL with 12 sacks and has been a force to be reckoned with in his first season as an Eagle. The 28-year-old Linebacker will attend his first Pro Bowl should the Eagles attend.
For the eighth and final selection, Cornerback Darius Slay gets the nod. The veteran defensive back has 46 total tackles, three interceptions, and 13 passes defensed so far this year. The 31-year-old will make his fifth appearance in the Pro Bowl with this latest selection.
All fun and (Pro Bowl) games#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/XnqFuRdJXe — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 22, 2022
Nine Additional Alternates
With eight voted-in players comes news of nine alternate Eagles players who were also among the selectees in the NFC. First up for the alternates is Wide Receiver Devonta Smith. While Brown is the true number-one receiver in Philadelphia, Smith has produced excellent numbers as the second option. The former Heisman Trophy winner has hauled in 71 receptions for 901 yards and five touchdowns this year. This marks Smith’s first Pro Bowl appearance in his young career.
Next, a duo of Eagles offensive linemen was selected as alternates. Left Tackle Jordan Mailata and Left Guard Issac Seamulo were the selectees. All five starting offensive linemen from Philadelphia were selected for the Pro Bowl in some form or fashion. This is a true testament to the work put in by these players and the OL coach Jeff Stoutland.
Moving to the defensive side of the trenches, four defensive linemen were selected as alternates in Philadelphia. Defensive Tackles Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave, along with Defensive Ends Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham, were the selectees. These four veterans will join Haason Reddick as the entire pass-rushing core received praise from Pro Bowl voters this season. Philadelphia’s core of defensive linemen has produced a tremendous number this season, as the Eagles lead the league in sacks with 55.
Next among the nine alternate selections, Cornerback James Bradberry was also selected. Bradberry has had a productive season in Philadelphia after signing as a free agent in the offseason. The 29-year-old defensive back has tallied 35 total tackles, three interceptions, and 14 passes defensed so far in 2022. Bradberry will attend the second Pro Bowl of his career.
Rounding out the alternate selections is Eagles Long Snapper Rick Lovato. The 30-year-old core special teams player is now a two-time Pro Bowler, having been selected in 2019 as well.
Nice Sirianni announces the 8 #Eagles Pro Bowl players and 9 alternates (Seems to agree Javon Hargrave should have made it) (He is right) pic.twitter.com/quk3zFscBT — Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) December 22, 2022
In Conclusion
A historic season for a historic NFL franchise continues. The Philadelphia Eagles have much to celebrate as they head into a Christmas Eve matchup against the division rival Dallas Cowboys this Saturday. Adding to their successful season are the 17 total selections to the 2023 Pro Bowl. Among them, Hurts could add additional hardware to his belt if he can get healthy and continue his masterful play. Collectively, this Eagles roster has put together win after win, and it’s already starting to pay dividends.
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