Steelers Who Could, And Should Make the Pro Bowl
The Pro Bowl, as we once knew it, is no more. The actual game itself has been discontinued, a relatively easy call for decision-makers as it has been somewhat of an embarrassment for years. With that being said, the actual Pro Bowl honors will remain intact while the league has made other plans, including the "Pro Bowl Games" to celebrate the players who made the cut. Despite a disappointing 5-8 record thus far, the Pittsburgh Steelers do have a couple of players deserving of league-wide recognition.
Minkah Fitzpartick
Even the most optimistic voice in the Steelers organization couldn't possibly have believed Minkah Fitzpatrick would be this impactful when they made the trade back in 2019. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has been nothing short of fantastic once again this season and has easily been their most impactful player on either side of the football.
The Alabama product has been nearly flawless in coverage this season, picking off four passes while only allowing 14 catches on the season, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also been reliable as an open-field tackler, whether it be against the run or in space after the catch, reducing his missed tackle percentage to 4.1% after a career-worst 11.8% last season.
The Steelers' decision to make him the league's highest-paid safety looks like a home run at this point in time.
Cam Heyward
After a relatively slow start to the season, the Steelers' defensive captain has found his groove as a pass rusher, as half of his quarterback hits have come after the bye week.
Aside from moving into the top ten among interior defensive linemen in pressures, the 33-year-old has been a dominant run defender, ranking 7th in the NFL in run stops (24 total) for his position. One of the most powerful individuals you'll see in the trenches, Heyward's bull rush is still a sight to behold in the middle.
Heyward's a five-time Pro Bowler who continues to beat father time, anchoring a defensive line that's been a bit underwhelming around him. Having made the Pro Bowl every season since 2017, it should come as no surprise to anyone when he winds up on this list once again.
Pat Freiermuth
In the sports world, we often talk about second-year players taking that jump to the next level, and Freiermuth has done just that.
Pittsburgh's 2021 second-round selection has been the best player on an otherwise extremely frustrating offense. His 630 receiving yards are fourth-best in the NFL among tight ends, trailing only Travis Kelce, T.J. Hockenson and Mark Andrews.
Freiermuth had a solid rookie campaign where he made noise in the red zone and as a possession receiver, but this year, he's been more explosive both with the ball in his hands and when working vertically. He's transformed into Kenny Pickett's security blanket on third downs, his 12 converted first downs rank third in the NFL among tight ends.
The arrow on this player is pointing up. This shouldn't be the last time he earns accolades.
Alex Highsmith
It's nearly impossible to find impactful edge rushers outside of day one of the NFL Draft, but that's exactly what the Steelers found in Alex Highsmith. A former third-round pick who's enjoying a career year, notching double-digit sacks for the first time.
Highsmith's one of the better young edge rushers in the game, thanks to his explosive get-off, a myriad of pass-rushing moves, and smooth counters such as his patented inside spin move. He's been quiet over the past two weeks against two of the more run-heavy offenses in the league, but there have been flashes of dominance, particularly on the last drive of the game against the Indianapolis Colts, where he essentially willed the defense off of the field.
He'll likely need to finish strong in order to be selected, but he's another youngster that's on the rise, eyeing a potential contract extension in the offseason.
James Daniels
Back in the spring, Pittsburgh made a rare splash move in free agency when they inked James Daniels to a 3-year, $26M contract. So far, so good, as Daniels has been the steadying hand on an offensive line that's shown gradual growth throughout the 2022 season.
There have been 19 guards that have played 80% of their team's snaps so far this season, Daniels is one of two of them who have not allowed a single sack in pass protection. That type of week-to-week consistency alone warrants some recognition amongst his peers. After a rough preseason, Daniels has been rock solid in both phases. Even if he's probably unlikely to be selected for the honors, his name deserves to be brought up in the conversation.
With the 25-year-old under contract for the foreseeable future, the Steelers have found one of their foundational pieces in the trenches.
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