Pro Bowl: 5 Colts Who Were Snubbed

The Indianapolis Colts haven't met expectations this year, which led to a handful of their players being snubbed from the Pro Bowl.

With the 2022 regular season nearing its end, the NFL announced its selections for this year's Pro Bowl rosters on Wednesday evening.

Last year, the Indianapolis Colts were present in a big way, with a league-leading seven players in the game: defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, center Ryan Kelly, linebacker Shaquille Leonard, cornerback Kenny Moore II, left guard Quenton Nelson, long snapper Luke Rhodes, and running back Jonathan Taylor.

However, with nowhere near the success of last year, 2022 has not been as kind to the Colts. That led to Nelson being the team's only all-star, his fifth such honor in as many seasons. The only other Colts players with this feat are wide receiver Reggie Wayne (2006-10) and offensive lineman Chris Hinton (1985-89), per Mike Chappell of FOX59.

Even though it’s been a rocky season, there are five other Colts players who deserved to either bypass the alternate stage or outright be nominated for the Pro Bowl.

CB STEPHON GILMORE

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s begin with lockdown cornerback, Gilmore. Ranked second on the Colts in overall defensive grade at 78.4 and pass coverage grade at 79.8 (per Pro Football Focus), Gilmore has been the most reliable player in the secondary for a defense that has had its moments of greatness. He typically handles the best receiver from every opponent and leads the team in passes defended (11) and is tied for first with Rodney Thomas II in interceptions with 2. With Gilmore on a two-year contract, we will see if he can get to the Pro Bowl for the Colts in 2023.

LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN

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Coming out of nowhere to replace the illustrious Leonard, Franklin has been efficient, to say the least. Currently, he sits at 141 total tackles, which is good enough for fourth in the NFL and first on the team. Given the story behind his reps and how well he has played in the absence of a team captain and perennial Pro Bowler/All-Pro, Franklin should have been considered more for the Pro Bowl.

LB BOBBY OKEREKE

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Speaking of linebackers, Okereke has flown under the radar as one of the most reliable players at the position in the league. He is second on the Colts in run defense grade at 79.3 and second in defensive stops (tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense) with 41 behind only Franklin with 51. Okereke is also second in tackles for the team (120). He’s a great player that the Colts should heavily consider keeping around for the future.

DT GROVER STEWART

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When it comes to controlling the defensive line, Stewart sticks out for Indianapolis. Third on the team in total tackles with 62, Stewart has been a motor that never stops. He also accompanies the tackles with 4.0 sacks and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (9) with Kwity Paye and Franklin. Stewart’s numbers don’t paint the true picture of how dominant he has been against opposing offensive linemen. He was one of the most surprising snubs from the roster by many fans and analysts, alike.

RT BRADEN SMITH

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To round out the list we will go onto the offensive side with the right tackle for the Colts. With Nelson being the lone nod this year, it’s worth mentioning he wasn’t even the best-graded blocker on the Colts' line; that belongs to Smith. Smith is first on the team in overall blocking grade at 74.1 (Nelson being third and rookie Bernhard Raimann being second), second in run blocking grade (71.8 behind Raimann), and first in pass blocking grade with 76.4. For a team that has had inexperienced players at the right guard position, these numbers only cement why Smith was snubbed for the Pro Bowl.

 

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