The Pro Bowl always comes with controversy and this year is no different. Whether it is players getting in on the basis of past performance, fanbase fanatacism, or simply on name recognition, there are always names that don’t deserve to make the cut. I’ve already made my ‘All-Underrated Offense‘ and ‘All-Underrated Defense‘ teams from this year’s snubs. Here is the flipside, with five players who should not have made the 2021 Pro Bowl.
Frank Clark | EDGE, Kansas City Chiefs
I don’t even think that Chiefs fans know why Clark made the Pro Bowl this season. Kansas City’s pass rush has been distinctly average this season and Clark has not lived up to his huge contract. He has generated just 40 pressures, ranked 26th amongst edge rushers. This is despite ranking 11th in number of pass-rushing snaps. He’s struggled against the run too and it is crazy to think he is the fifth highest paid player at his position. His 53.8 PFF grade has him ranked as the 105th edge rusher in the NFL.
Evan Engram | TE, New York Giants
There isn’t much going for Engram except for his receiving yards. He ranks second amongst NFC tight ends with 572, although he also ranks second in targets with 88. He has a single touchdown all season and his 10.6 yards per catch rank 21st at the position. Engram has also registered six drops, the third worst by any tight end. His passer rating when targeted of 60.9 ranks 43rd of 44 tight ends with at least 25 targets. Just for context, Engram made the Pro Bowl ahead of Robert Tonyan, who has 10 touchdowns and almost identical yardage on 34 fewer targets.
Andrus Peat | IOL, New Orleans Saints
Peat has now made three consecutive Pro Bowls and I have no idea why. He has allowed 22 pressures, including four sacks, on 426 pass-blocking snaps this season. The four sacks are the seventh most allowed by any interior linemen this season. He’s been poor as a run-blocker too, ranking 87th in PFF run-blocking grade amongst interior linemen. His 57.9 PFF grade ranked him 91st amongst interior linemen and he made the Pro Bowl ahead of the likes of Zack Martin, who ranked second.
Calais Campbell | IDL, Baltimore Ravens
Campbell hasn’t been a bad player this season, but he’s not done nearly enough to be considered a Pro Bowler. He has generated just 20 pressures all season, ranked 44th amongst interior linemen. Over recent weeks he’s been playing a more situational role and has played just 363 snaps all year, ranked 78th at his position. He’s been average against the run, but certainly not noteworthy enough to rank ahead of the likes of DeForest Buckner Quinnen Williams. This is an example of a player being voted in purely on the basis of past performances.
Maurkise Pouncey | IOL, Pittsburgh Steelers
People tend to vote for offensive linemen on the basis of name recognition and nowhere is that more obvious than Pouncey. His 14 total pressures allowed puts him 21st amongst centers alone and way down at 52nd amongst interior offensive linemen. The Steelers have struggled to run the ball all season and Pouncey has been a liability. His PFF run blocking grade ranks 34th of 38 qualifying centers and 103rd of 129 interior linemen.
