Five Ravens who got snubbed from 2020 Pro Bowl

The 2020 Pro Bowl rosters were revealed on Monday and while the Baltimore Ravens didn’t have the same NFL record-tying number of players voted to the all-star roster as they did a year ago, the seven players that made it this year tied a franchise record for the second-most in a season and is tied for the most in the league from one team.

As great as it was that Orlando Brown Jr., Calais Campbell, Morgan Cox, Marlon Humphrey, Matthew Judon, Patrick Ricard, and Justin Tucker made it, they had some teammates that were also deserving of the honor that didn’t.

Here is a list of the top five Ravens players that were snubbed from this year’s Pro Bowl and who should be subbed:

QB Lamar Jackson: Replaces DeShaun Watson

The reigning MVP hasn’t torn the league asunder this year as he did during his historic breakout campaign last season but he has still had a really good season, and unlike Watson, he is a huge is in position to make the playoffs instead of securing a pick for another team in the top 10 of the 2021 NFL Draft because your organization doesn’t have one.

Watson has accounted for 30 total touchdowns (27 passing and three rushing) to Jackson’s 28 (21 passing and seven rushing) but he’s played in one more game than Jackson because the Ravens’ star signal-caller contracted COVID-19 and had to miss a game.

Both are dual-threat quarterbacks but two of the main reasons that Watson’s passing numbers (4,134) are so inflated compared to Jackson’s (2,461) is because the Texans offense is ranked dead last in rushing and Houston has been playing from behind so much that their quarterback has to almost single-handedly keep them competitive in games with his arm almost exclusively.

However, when it comes to rushing ability, Jackson is in a league of his own and is not only leading all players at his position in rushing again with 828 yards but he is on pace to eclipse 1000 yards rushing for the second year in a row as well.

While Jackson hasn’t quite been playing at an All-Pro level consistently this year, he is still having a productive season and should be in the Pro Bowl at least.

ILB Patrick Queen: Replaces Tremaine Edmonds

The Ravens first-round pick has hit the ground running in his first season and is one of the top candidates to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. While Edmonds currently has the edge in total tackles (105-98), Queen has been the more well-rounded and impactful playmaker.

Queen has an interception, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three sacks, eight quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, and a touchdown whereas Edmonds has no interceptions, no forced fumbles or recoveries, no touchdowns, three pass breakups, one sack, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.

One of the few knocks on Queen is his ability or lack thereof in coverage whether it is in man or zone. However, even though it is not one of his strengths yet, he has still performed better than Edmonds in coverage this season and is far more disruptive as a blitzer.

When targeted in coverage, Edmonds has allowed an average of 14.1 yards per completion, four touchdowns, and an opposing passer rating of 120.7 whereas Queen has allowed 8.6 yards per completion, two touchdowns, and an opposing passer rating of 95.4.

On 65 blitzes, Queen has recorded eight pressures, four knockdowns, a hurry, and all three of his sacks. On 62 blitzes, Edmonds has logged just two pressures, one knockdown, no hurries, and his lone sack.

Even though he didn’t make the cut this year, the Ravens have a perennial Pro Bowler in Queen who could establish himself as one of the best in the game very early in his career.

CB Marcus Peters: Replaces Stephon Gilmore

Both players were Pro Bowlers and First-Team All-Pro selections last season and Gilmore became just the 11 defensive back and the sixth cornerback to be named Defensive Player of the Year.

This season has been a little rough for both players as they have battled through their fair share of injuries and COVID-related adversity and both of their teams aren’t the same juggernauts they were in 2019.

While Peters has given up three touchdowns in coverage to Gilmore’s one, he has been far more impactful in the Ravens defense than Gilmore has been for the Patriots. He has been targeted far more often (81-49) but has made far more disruptive plays from a clutch and turnover standpoint.

Peters has been a turnover machine with three interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and even recorded his first career sack and a quarterback hit. Gilmore only has one interception, one forced fumble, no fumble recoveries, and didn’t generate a pressure of even land hit on two blitzes.

The Ravens’ secondary has been in flux for much of the season and even though he missed this past Sunday’s game with a calf injury, Peters has been reliable difference make for the unit all year long and deserved another Pro Bowl nod over a Gilmore who just got shut down for New England’s final two games with a quad injury.

OG Bradley Bozeman: Replaces David DeCastro

This was a prime example where the popularity contest portion of the voting process came into play because most people don’t pay close attention to offensive line play and especially when it comes to interior.

DeCastro had made five straight Pro Bowls prior to this year and because of that, he is more recognized nationally than Bozeman. However, the Steelers’ nine-year veteran right guard has not played better than the Ravens’ third-year left guard this season.

Bozeman has been Baltimore’s most consistent and dependable offensive lineman following the retirement of eight-time Pro Bowler Marshal Yanda this offseason and has really been dominating since midway through last season in his first year as a full-time starter.

He is a key cog in the Ravens’ top-ranked rushing attack that averages a league-high 172.7 yards on the ground per game. Bozeman is an excellent puller on power and trap plays and has made several highlight blocks that have sprung Jackson and the Ravens’ running backs for big gains and scoring plays.

If you’re unfamiliar with what he looks like, he can often be seen in the background holding his arms to signal a touchdown when Jackson rips off a long run.

Both DeCastro and Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey got voted to the Pro Bowl despite playing on a unit that is ranked second to last in total rushing yards, first downs, and yards per game and is dead last in yards per attempt.

Their pass blocking isn’t much better but is masked by the fact that Ben Roethlisberger gets the ball out of his hands quicker than any other quarterback in the league because their offense relies heavily on the short passing game to dink and dunk down the field.

The Steelers are reeling right now and have lost their last three games whereas the Ravens have won their last three games and are surging.

Neither lineman is solely responsible for the success or shortcoming of their respective offense but each plays integral roles in them for better or for worse and Bozeman has been performing at the higher level.

S Chuck Clark: Replaces Justin Simmons

The only edge that Simmons has over Clark in major stats is in total tackles by one (89-88) and interceptions (4-0). The Ravens’ fourth-year safety has recorded two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and a touchdown.

Clark has not only been a stabilizing force in the secondary for the Ravens since being inserted into the starting lineup in the early portion of last season, but he is the field general of the entire defense.

He wears the green dot on his helmet which means he is the one that is responsible for relaying the defensive signals and play calls from Ravens’ Defensive Coordinator Aon ‘Wink’ Martindale to the rest of the players and get everyone in position.

It is a tremendous responsibility for a highly intelligent player of which Clark is vehemently praised for being by his teammates and coaches. Under his leadership, the Ravens have a top 10 defense whereas Simmons’ unit is ranked in the middle of the pack and few slots away from the bottom 10.

Both players are listed as free safeties but Clark plays a much more diverse role in the Ravens’ defense than the traditional one that Simmons plays for the Broncos which means that the fact that he is involved just as much in run defense as he in pass defense should earn him a Pro Bowl nod over a player who is mainly a just a centerfielder in the defensive backfield.

Honorable mention:

ST Chris Board: Replaces Matthew Slater

The Ravens third-year inside linebacker Chris Board was the leading in fan voting for the AFC’s special teams position but was usurped by the Patriots stalwart special teamer who was elected to the ninth Pro Bowl in his Hall of Fame career.