Earlier this week, voting began for this season’s NFL Pro Bowl, which for the first time, will be held in Orlando, rather than Hawaii as in years past. While few players on the Ravens stuck out as worthy Pro Bowl candidates during the first half of the 2016 season, I thought I’d highlight a few players who have legitimately earned the right to be considered for a trip to Florida on January 29.
- Justin Tucker – There’s not much to argue here, as Tucker’s clearly been the best kicker in the league this season. Tucker, who’s 22 for 22 on field goals through the first 10 weeks of the season, is joined by Adam Vinatieri (19 for 19) as one of the two kickers in the NFL, with more than one field goal attempt, who have yet to miss. Two kickers have made 23 field goals this season, but both have had at least three more attempts. He’s probably been the Ravens MVP thus far in 2016. This one’s a no brainer.
- Eric Weddle – Weddle has better for the Ravens defense than fans could have ever imagined. He’s provided the much needed leader the Ravens have been missing since the retirement of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. In fact, he’s been playing so well that Pro Football Focus ranked him as the top safety in football through the first half of the season. He’s second on the team with 45 tackles, a number that no where near does him justice, as he’s seemingly involved in every play, and has been an anchor for a defense that’s currently ranked first in the NFL. Weddle’s certainly worthy of the honor.
- Zach Orr – Perhaps the most improved player on the Ravens thus fair in the 2016 season, is Zach Orr. Orr leads the Ravens with 77 tackles, 32 more than Eric Weddle, who is second on the team in tackles. When CJ Mosley went down with injury earlier in the season, Orr stepped in, and became the most efficient tackler on the Ravens D. He’s played as well as just about any linebacker in the league so far this year, and is looking like the next Ravens linebacker to quietly take the league by storm.
- Timmy Jernigan – Jernigan showed signs of greatness in his rookie season, and has continued to improve here in 2016. He, along with Brandon Williams (who could also be a Pro Bowler), has been a key factor in the Ravens becoming the league’s top run defense. In addition to being a great plug in the run game, Jernigan’s notched 6 sacks through the first 10 weeks of the season, and continues to create headaches for offensive coordinators throughout the league. Jernigan’s ceiling appears to be scary high, and we’ve probably yet to even come close to seeing what this guys capable of.
These are the four players I think Ravens fans should vote for, whether they’re voting objectively or not. If you want to vote for a few more guys, besides these four, just because you bleed purple and black, then here’s a few more I can justify backing:
- Marshall Yanda
- Sam Koch
- Jimmy Smith
- Terrell Suggs
- Brandon Williams
- Mike Wallace
- CJ Mosley
- Anthony Levine (Special Teams)
Birds of Baltimore 