Green Bay Packers send 5 starters, 7 alternates to Pro Bowl
The Green Bay Packers would rather be busy on January 25th, preferably preparing for the Super Bowl. If the Packers are unable to reach the top of the mountain, however, at least five of their starters have been selected to play in the 2015 Pro Bowl, along with a whopping seven alternates.
Aaron Rodgers leads the group as he continues to receive strong consideration for the league MVP award. With 36 TD on the season compared to just 5 INT, Rodgers’ 111.0 Quarterback Rating ranks second in the league only to Tony Romo. He also ranks in the top-10 in both yardage and completion percentage. This will be the fourth time that Rodgers has been selected to the Pro Bowl.
Jordy Nelson has been on the receiving end of much of Rodgers’ success, and has turned that into his first career Pro Bowl appearance. Nelson is having a career year, with 1,433 yards (4th NFL) and 13 TD (2nd). With 92 receptions on the season entering Week 17 against the Detroit Lions, the Packers’ WR has a shot at both the 100 reception and 1,500 yard plateaus.
Josh Sitton will also join his QB at the Pro Bowl for his second appearance. Sitton has had another very strong season, and continues to be a steady, underrated player in the NFL. He has helped lead the Green Bay Packers to an improved Offensive Line unit in 2014, one which has kept Aaron Rodgers relatively healthy and come on hot in the run game as of late.
John Kuhn will also make his 2nd appearance at the Pro Bowl this season, as the fan favorite continues to excel at a position considered to be dying in the NFL. With most offenses running three and four receiver sets for most of the game, it is becoming rare to see a fullback in the offset or I-formation. Kuhn has excelled on Special Teams and run blocking while contributing offensively out of the backfield in short-yardage situations.
More from Green Bay Packers
- Packers may have found Jordan Love a Travis Kelce-type
- 3 underrated moves Green Bay Packers made in 2023 offseason
- NFL Predictions: 5 Teams that will be drafting a quarterback in 2024
- NFL: Predicting the top 5 running attacks for the 2023 season
- Can Green Bay’s defense carry the Packers to the playoffs?
Clay Matthews represents the lone defensive starter for the Green Bay Packers in the 2015 Pro Bowl, which will be his fifth. Selected as an OLB, Matthews’ recent switch to ILB has really started to pay off with 5.5 sacks over his past three games. Matthews’ versatility has allowed Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers to move an elite player around his schemes much like he did with Charles Woodson in his prime seasons.
Julius Peppers, David Bakhtiari, Randall Cobb, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Lang, Sam Shields and Tramon Williams were all selected as Pro Bowl alternates, as well. If the Packers fail to make the Super Bowl, don’t be surprised if two or more of these players are elevated to starters due to other players’ playoff obligations or medical clearances.
The surprise in all of this is that rookie Center Corey Linsley has not even been named an alternate after playing at such a high level this season. It’s not hard for a 5th Round Center to fly under the radar, and perhaps this is karma for the highly questionable Jeff Saturday Pro Bowl appearance, but I believe that Linsley certainly played well enough to be recognized.
Tell us what you think, Packers’ fans. Which alternates should be starters, which unselected Packers should be alternates, and which of these players don’t deserve a selection to begin with?