Examining The Eagles’ Pro Bowl Selections

The Eagles were No. 3 in Pro Bowl selections with six. The biggest snub was Jordan Mailata.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) in the tunnel against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA -  The Eagles had six Pro Bowl selections announced Thursday, third most of any team behind Baltimore’s nine and seven for the Detroit Lions. The Minnesota Vikings also had six players selected along with Philadelphia, a grouping that tracks with the talent perceived on their respective rosters.

The Eagles’ honorees were running back Saquon Barkley, right tackle Lane Johnson, left guard Landon Dickerson, and center Cam Jurgens. On defense, defensive tackle Jalen Carter and linebacker Zack Baun received Pro Bowl nods.

Several Philadelphia players were named as alternates as well: wide receiver A.J. Brown and left tackle Jordan Mailata were first alternates for the offense while edge rusher Josh Sweat and rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell are next-up options for the defense. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was a second alternate.

Further down the list were cornerback Darius Slay and long snapper Rick Lovato as third alternates. Cooper DeJean was named as a fourth alternate with a punt returner designation and punter Braden Mann joined DeJean in that category. 

Fifth alternates included kicker Jake Elliott, defensive end Brandon Graham, and special teams player Kelee Ringo.

Five of the six Pro Bowl selections were no-brainers, with Jurgens, a first-time selection, the only potential reach.

Jurgens has played well this season and most of the top OCs are in the AFC but Arizona’s  Hjalte Froholdt has been better for the backup role behind the Lions' Frank Ragnow, albeit with a lesser team and without the tint of Jeff Stoutland University.

Mailata is obviously the biggest snub, a victim of the reputation of Tampa Bay’s Tristin Wirfs. It’s hard to argue with Johnson and Detroit’s Penei Sewell at OT and the Pro Bowl doesn’t designate between right and left tackles.

If you want to add alternates into the mix, DeJean is an egregious snub because the Pro Bowl selections are still antiquated to the point they don’t designate  between outside cornerbacks and slot players which Vic Fangio will tell you are two completely different positions.

DeJean has been the best slot CB in football this season and should be on a Pro Bowl team more representative of how the modern game is played.

Also deserving a mention is right guard Mekhi Becton. The alternates go six deep and Becton wasn’t even named one. Currently, Pro Football Focus has Becton as the 14th-best offensive guard in the NFL and No. 7 in the NFC.

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