With the dust settled on the regular season, it is time to look back and consider the players deserving of All-Pro recognition in 2020. There are some names I didn’t expect to be on this list at the start of the season, starting at quarterback. Two rookies also make the team, both on offense. The Packers lead the way with five suggestions and players from 15 different teams feature. Here is The Jet Sweep’s All-Pro Team for 2020.
QB – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Rodgers elevated his game significantly this season and he has silenced those who doubted him during the offseason. His career-high 48 touchdown passes led the NFL and he has also owned the best completion percentage at 70.7 per cent. He ranked fourth in yards per attempt at 8.2 and finished with a passer rating of 121.5, by far the best in the league. This was only just behind his own NFL record of 122.5. With the exception of one game against the Bucs he played lights out all season and is the obvious frontrunner for this year’s MVP.
RB – Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Second Team: Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings
Henry looked unstoppable this season. He finished with 2,027 yards, making him just the eighth player in NFL history to hit the 2,000+ mark. He had more carries than any back in the NFL, but he was incredibly productive on a per carry basis. His 5.4 yards per carry ranked fourth in the NFL and he led the league with 75 forced missed tackles. Henry’s ability to create after contact is what makes him such a special player. His 1,490 yards after contact was over 400 yards more than any other running back and would be good enough to rank second in total yardage, behind Dalvin Cook.
WR – Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears
After this season Adams has firmly cemented his position as one of the very best receivers in the NFL. Nobody was more productive on a per game basis as he averaged 8.2 catches, 98.1 yards, and 1.2 touchdowns per game. He led the league with 18 touchdowns and finished the season with 115 catches for 1,374 yards. He had just a single drop on 116 catchable passes this season and led the league in yards per route run at 2.96. This season he broke Don Hutson’s franchise record for consecutive games with a touchdown. Adams had eight, one behind the all-time NFL record.
WR – Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
Second Team: A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
The trade for Stefon Diggs has to go down as one of the best offseason moves in recent years. It has elevated Josh Allen and the Bills offense to new heights and Diggs himself has stepped up to the task of a far bigger workload. He led the NFL in targets (162), receptions (127), and receiving yards (1,535). His elusiveness after the catch has been an underrated facet of his game and he ranks second amongst all receivers with 20 forced missed tackles.
WR – Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Second Team: DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals
Jefferson received plenty of praise for delivering one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. He broke the rookie record for receiving yards and set a franchise record for receptions. Jefferson wasn’t just good for a rookie though – he ranked as one of the best receivers in the NFL. He finished the year with 1,400 receiving yards, ranked behind only Diggs and Adams. He did this on just 88 receptions, averaging 15.9 yards per catch. Since moving out of the slot he averaged 95 receiving yards per game and his 2.66 yards per route run ranked second behind Adams. It is a measure of his quality that the Vikings do not seem to have missed Stefon Diggs this season.
TE – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders
Kelce is the runaway choice here. He finished the season with 105 catches for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranked second across the NFL in receiving yards and set the tight end single-season record. His 11 touchdowns also led the position, as did his 14 forced missed tackles. If he hadn’t been rested in Week 17 he may have had a chance to top Stefon Diggs and lead the league in receiving yards, something that has never been done by a tight end in NFL history. He was also excellent in the running game, finishing as PFF’s third highest graded run blocking tight end.
LT – David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Garrett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Bakhtiari signed a monster deal with the Packers to become the highest paid offensive lineman in history. Based on his play this season he was well worth the money. Bakhtiari allowed just nine pressures on his 446 pass blocking snaps in 2020. His work in the running game was instrumental in establishing Green Bay’s formidable ground game too. He was limited to just 12 games, but no tackle could match him when he was on the field. He is one of just two tackles in 2020 to achieve a PFF pass blocking and run blocking grade of 85+ – the other was Boles.
RT – Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Second Team: Jack Conklin, Cleveland Browns
Wirfs joins Jefferson as one of two rookies to make this list. He started every game for the Bucs this season and played all 1,086 snaps. His ability to seamlessly transition to the NFL was incredibly impressive at a position that often takes time to adjust. He gave up 22 total pressures and allowed just one sack all year. After giving up 12 pressures through his first five games, he has been almost unbeatable, allowing just ten pressures and no sacks on 448 pass blocking snaps since Week 6.
LG – Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Second Team: Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It is no surprise to see Nelson’s name on this list. He remains one of the NFL’s most well-rounded and versatile linemen, looking excellent in both the running game and in pass protection. Nelson ranked as PFF’s third highest graded pass protecting guard and allowed just 15 pressures all season. He was a mauler in the running game too, ranking fifth in PFF run blocking grade. Nelson was the only player to rank inside the top five in both areas.
RG – Wyatt Teller, Cleveland Browns
Second Team: Brandon Scherff, Washington Football Team
Teller had a breakout season in 2020, developing into one of the best linemen in the NFL. He was the clear frontrunner for this spot, despite missing five games. He was a solid pass protector, allowing 14 pressures on is 354 pass blocking snaps. Where Teller excelled though was in the running game. He was a huge part of the team’s success and finished with a PFF run blocking grade of 93.6, the highest mark recorded since 2017. His 92.9 overall PFF grade put him third in the NFL, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Donald.
C – Corey Linsley, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
Linsley was the clear frontrunner at center this season. He was excellent in both phases of the game and a key reason the Packers offensive line was so successful this year. Linsley finished with just four pressures allowed across his 437 pass blocking snaps, the fewest of any center in the NFL. He was perhaps even better as a run blocker. His 87.8 PFF run blocking grade led all centers and ranked seventh across all offensive linemen.
IDL – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Second Team: DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts
Donald continues to be the best defensive player in the NFL and would be an MVP candidate if you discount positional value. His numbers were predictably eye-popping, as they are every year. Donald finished the season with 98 total pressures, 21 more than any other defender. This is despite facing more double team than any other player in the NFL. With all of the focus on his pass rushing ability, his run defense often goes unnoticed. This season he ranked as PFF’s highest graded interior run defender and had the second best run defense grade in the NFL.
IDL – Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Nobody can compare to Donald, but Jones had another excellent season with the Chiefs. He continues to provide Kansas City’s biggest pass rushing threat and his numbers were fantastic once again. He racked up 60 pressures, including eight sacks, on his 440 pass rushing snaps. Jones also chipped in with a couple of forced fumbles too. He had a few issues with missed tackles, but remains one of the NFL’s most dominant interior players.
EDGE – T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Second Team: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Watt now has back-to-back excellent seasons and will find himself in the conversation for 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. He was the key threat on Pittsburgh’s dominant defensive line and led all edge rushers with 73 total pressures. His 15 sacks also led the NFL. Watt made plenty of big plays for the Steelers and once again led the position in defensive stops with 43. He also provided two forced fumbles and five batted passes. He even intercepted Daniel Jones in Week 1.
EDGE – Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears
Second Team: Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
Mack might not have put up the elite numbers he has shown in the past, but his performances week in and week out were this season were some of his best. He was consistently impressive against both the run and the pass and finished the year as PFF’s highest graded edge rusher. He accounted for 57 pressures, 10 of which were sacks, and forced three fumbles. His run defense was excellent too and he ranked as the highest graded run defender in the NFL this season per PFF.
LB – Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
Second Team: Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings
2020 was a breakout season for Warner, who established himself as one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He was a sure tackler, with just 10 misses on 134 attempts. He also proved to be an excellent blitzing weapon, racking up 18 total pressures on just 89 pass rushing snaps. Where he really separated himself from the competition was in pass coverage. Warner had two picks and four pass breakups on his 61 targets, with a passer rating allowed of just 81.9.
LB – Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
Second Team: Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Seattle defense wasn’t great this year, but Wagner was fantastic. There was no real weakness to his game either. He missed just nine tackles on 140 attempts and ranked as PFF’s highest graded run defending linebacker. He had a great season in coverage, leading all linebackers with seven forced incompletions. His passer rating when targeted of 92.3 was actually the best of any Seahawks defender. He also thrived in a more blitz-heavy role, generating 20 pressures and four sacks on 107 pass rushing snaps.
CB – Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams
Alexander has developed into the league’s best young cornerback and looked like the best player at the position this season. Xavien Howard will get the attention for his interceptions, but Alexander’s underlying numbers are even more impressive. He allowed a completion percentage of just 50.3 per cent and gave up just 9.6 yards per reception. His 337 yards allowed is less than half of what Xavien Howard conceded and he gave up 0.64 yards per coverage snap, ranked third in the NFL. He was productive at the catch point too, with a pick and thirteen pass breakups on his 69 targets.
CB – Xavien Howard, Miami Dolphins
Second Team: James Bradberry, New York Giants
Howard is another player that will be in and around the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year. He was a key part of Miami’s defensive turnaround and had one of the most productive seasons for a defensive back in recent years. Howard finished with 10 interceptions, adding another 10 pass breakups. He allowed a 52.2 per cent completion percentage on his 90 targets and a passer rating when targeted of just 53.0. He even managed four games with no yardage allowed.
S – Jessie Bates III, Cincinnati Bengals
Second Team: Marcus Maye, New York Jets
Bates had one of the best seasons by a safety in recent years, but seemed to go under many people’s radar as a result of playing on the Bengals’ defense. His numbers were excellent in every department, but it was in coverage where he did the biggest damage. He allowed a completion percentage of just 54.3 per cent and gave up just 173 yards all season. He also had an absurd three interceptions and 12 pass breakups on his 35 targets. His forced incompletion rate (42.8 per cent) was the best of any player with at least 20 targets this season. Bates may just be the best single-high safety in the NFL right now.
S – Adrian Amos, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers
The fifth and final Packer to make this list, Amos has had another excellent year in Green Bay. He was particularly impressive down the stretch, with six forced incompletions through his last four games. Amos allowed just 26 completions on his 42 targets and never gave up more than 40 yards in a single game. He also did not allow a single completion of 25+ yards all season. He finished the year with two picks and seven pass breakups, and had the best coverage grade of any safety in the NFL per PFF.
FLEX – John Johnson III, Los Angeles Rams
Second Team: Bryce Callahan, Denver Broncos
Johnson has been a key part of the Rams’ defensive dominance in 2020. He was one of the league’s most well-rounded defensive backs, excelling in coverage and against the run. His seven yards allowed per reception ranks as the best of any safety with at least 25 targets. He also contributed a pick and seven pass breakups. He was an elite tackler in space too, with just seven misses on 111 attempts.