Baltimore Ravens: Who deserves a 2018 Pro Bowl nod?
Pro Bowl voting is right around the corner, which gives us the perfect opportunity to discuss which Baltimore Ravens have earned the honor in 2018.
The NFL Pro Bowl has always been a point of controversy among fans. Despite the fact that the game is utterly meaningless and no one plays hard whatsoever, the voting process entirely is a rather frustrating one. At times, it seems like a popularity contest more than it is about selecting the NFL’s best-of-the-best. While veterans who’ve have been around forever get the spotlight, players who play at a higher level often times get overlooked. It’s a shame.
Regardless, it’s important to appreciate your own team’s stars and give them props whenever possible. 2018 has without a doubt been a frustrating season, but we’ve been treated to some great performances from plenty of players. Who among these men deserves a Pro Bowl nod, however? That’s what we’re here to find out.
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Honorable mentions:
Justin Tucker:
It’s a total bummer that fans can only vote in one kicker per conference. Regardless of Justin Tucker’s only missed PAT of his career coming in 2018, he remains the best kicker in the league. Tucker is as accurate as they come and there’s very few kickers I would trust to win a game more than Tucker. Voters will have an unfortunate bias against Tucker, however, and will likely be more apt to vote Stephen Gostkowski in over him.
Marlon Humphrey:
The only thing keeping Marlon Humphrey out of Pro Bowl conversations is the fact that he’s been injured recently. There’s no denying when healthy that Humphrey has been as good as advertised. Humphrey is playing lock-down coverage against opposing team’s top receivers and has firmly established himself as Baltimore’s ace cornerback. Perhaps 2019 will be more kind to the most slept on corner in the NFL.
Za’Darius Smith:
It’s a damn shame the Pro Bowl tends to be a popularity contest, because Za’Darius Smith has been outstanding in 2018. Za-Za is tied for the team lead in sacks at 5.5 but has made an argument as being the Ravens best defensive player in 2018. In a contract season, Smith has been a menace to opposing offenses and is a wrecking ball week-in and week-out. While Smith may not get a Pro Bowl in 2018, he’s going to cash out big-time this off-season.