Three 49ers Selected to the Pro Bowl
Not everyone on the 49ers had a disappointing season.
Three 49ers played well enough to make the Pro Bowl: middle linebacker Fred Warner, left tackle Trent Williams and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
Warner, 24, will make his first Pro Bowl appearance. He arguably is the 49ers' best player and certainly is the MVP of a defense that currently ranks fifth in fewest yards allowed per game (314.3).
Warner also is the best middle linebacker in the game. He's a hard hitter between the tackles, he has range to run to the sideline, he's elite in coverage and top it off he's brilliant. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh compares Warner to Peyton Manning in terms of Warner's ability to quarterback the defense, call the proper checks before the snap and get his teammates lined up correctly.
Williams, 32, has earned his eighth-career Pro Bowl selection. He has the respect of the NFL, as he's made the Pro Bowl eight of the past nine seasons (he didn't make it last season because he sat out the entire year). And his individual play this season certainly deserves recognition as well. But Williams still plays for one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. It hasn't improved as a unit since he replaced Joe Staley.
Juszczyk, 29, has earned his fifth-consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Juszczyk is universally regarded as the best fullback in football, and the 49ers pay him $5.25 million per season. And yet, somehow, they let him touch the ball only two times per game. You explain that one.
Congratulations to these 49ers.
