Voting for the 2022 Pro Bowl is open. The Pittsburgh Steelers, sitting at 3-6, don’t have as many options as in years past. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year, TJ Watt, missed over two months of action. As a result, his chances will be much slimmer to make the Pro Bowl. I guess, if enough fans voted in his name, he could make it just off popularity, especially if he dominates in the last two months of the season.
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Elsewhere on the defensive side of the ball, you get your usual names for likely candidates. Cam Heyward hasn't been as involved in his age-33 season, as through nine games, the defensive lineman has three sacks and five tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus though, he's been just as good, as he has an 89.8 rating for his play this year. That ranks sixth amongst 122 qualifying linemen across the NFL.
Heyward's run defense has been particularly great, as he ranks second amongst linemen in that area. His name, along with his sustained stellar play, gives him a prime opportunity to make his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl. Minkah Fitzpatrick will definitely warrant consideration as a starter for the game, as he has three interceptions and six pass deflections in just seven games. While he's given up some big plays through the air, he's been good enough to make the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career.
Watt's counterpart, Alex Highsmith, has been having a very good season as well. Purely based off name recognition, he probably won't make it unless he finishes around say, 13 or 14 sacks. His 8.5 sacks so far are tied-for-fourth in the NFL. He's seemingly done much better with Watt in the lineup, as he has five sacks in two games with Watt active. In seven games without Watt, Highsmith has just 3.5 sacks.
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Terrell Edmunds has taken a huge step forward in his fifth season this year, but he's probably not quite Pro Bowl-worthy. He's done enough for the team to give him a contract extension though, as he and Fitzpatrick have been a very good duo on the back end. Myles Jack has had his moments in the middle of Pittsburgh's defense, but he hasn't been consistent enough.
On the offensive side of the ball, it's hard to give consideration to anyone. It's an offense that ranks in the bottom-five of the NFL in nearly every major category. Oddly enough, offensive linemen Mason Cole and James Daniels probably have the best arguments to make the Pro Bowl. Those two have helped stabilize a unit that was expected to be the worst part of this team.
Diontae Johnson won't make his second Pro Bowl, as he's been far from the best version of himself. The same can be said for Najee Harris, who made the game in his rookie year in 2021. Johnson's 48.3 receiving yards per game is the lowest since his 2019 rookie season. He also has career lows in catch rate (58%), touchdowns (zero), and yards per reception (9.3). It's been quite the disappointing season for him after he earned a contract extension in the off-season, as he had 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021.
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As of now, Heyward and Fitzpatrick will probably make it based off their solid play and name recognition.
From this team, who do you think should make the Pro Bowl? Who deserves more consideration? Should anyone make it from the offensive side of the ball? Share your opinions in the comment section below, yinz!
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