3 Seahawks Snubbed in 2020 Pro Bowl Selection

Despite currently sitting as the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed with an 11-3 record and leading the rugged NFC West division, the Seahawks only had two starters named to the NFC Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday.

While Seattle did have seven alternates selected who could find their way to Orlando, several players were deserving of joining quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner on the actual roster this season.

Comparing their resumes to other players at their respective positions, here are the three biggest Pro Bowl “snubs” for the Seahawks.

Chris Carson, RB

Analysis: While he’s had a great season, Carson wasn’t going to beat out Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook, who have produced at least 53 receptions and over 500 receiving yards out of the backfield this year. But a strong case can be made that he deserved to make the Pro Bowl more than Elliott. Carson and Elliott have near-identical rushing numbers, with Carson rushing for two more yards through 14 games and Elliott rushing for four more touchdowns.

Digging deeper, Carson has done more with less, rushing for 725 yards after contact, 27 total broken tackles, and rushing for a league-best 73 first downs. In comparison, Elliott has only produced 606 yards after contact, 21 broken tackles, and 69 first downs. Elliott holds the edge as a receiver with eight more receptions and nearly 150 more receiving yards, though he’s had more targets to work with. Picking Elliott over Carson isn’t egregious, but Seattle’s budding star earned a trip to Orlando and would’ve been a slam dunk pick on the AFC roster.

K.J. Wright, OLB

Analysis: Wright’s omission isn’t surprising because he doesn’t have a single sack this season and all three Pro Bowl selections at outside linebacker (Chandler Jones, Khalil Mack, and Shaquill Barrett) rush off the edge consistently. Sacks generate headlines and all three of those players are more than deserving.

But Wright has been excellent in his own right, rebounding from an injury-marred season in 2018 to register 113 tackles and set new career-highs in interceptions (3) and passes defensed (10). Even if he’s lost a step or two, his impressive football IQ has helped him compensate for athletic limitations in coverage and his leadership cannot be understated. With only five linebackers on the Pro Bowl roster, why can’t Wright be added as a coverage outside linebacker? It’s baffling he wasn’t even listed as one of Seattle’s seven alternates.

Shaquill Griffin, CB

Analysis: Just as lacking sacks hurt Wright, Griffin’s inability to record at least one interception made it difficult for him to be considered for the Pro Bowl. But the third year cornerback has had an outstanding season nonetheless, limiting opposing quarterbacks to a 52.7 percent completion rate and giving up only 435 receiving yards after surrendering more than 700 yards in 2018. He’s also among league leaders in passes defensed and though he hasn’t been able to turn any of those plays into turnovers, he’s consistently had his hands on the football in coverage.

Comparing him to two Pro Bowl selections, Marshon Lattimore of the Saints put up eerily similar numbers across the board with 13 passes defensed and a 51.9 completion rate against him in coverage, while Jalen Ramsey of the Rams has allowed a 70 percent completion rate and nearly the same number of yards as Griffin in half the games while failing to register an interception.