As the Eagles prepare for Sunday’s matchup against the Jets at MetLife Stadium, the NFL’s annual Pro Bowl voting is coming to a close.
Fans will be able to vote on Twitter and NFL.com until Thursday, Dec. 16. But for all intents and purposes, with the Eagles going on their bye week after the Jets matchup, Sunday’s game will be the final performance for the team before ballots lock up.
While the Eagles are off to an uneven start — 5-7 entering Week 13 — they’ve had a handful of notable performances from players this season. A select few members of the roster deserve to be in the conversation for the all-star game in January.
Here’s a look at six players worthy of Pro Bowl consideration on the Eagles’ roster:
The Australian lineman cashed in before the season even started with a four-year, $64 million extension, and that deal has turned out to be a bargain for the Eagles. While he missed two games with a knee injury, Mailata has proven to be versatile and dependable, starting eight games at left tackle and two on the right side.
Despite dealing with the knee injury and switching sides of the line, at times, Mailata ranks as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-ranked offensive tackle (out of 81 qualifiers) entering Week 13. According to PFF, he’s allowed just two sacks and 17 pressures this season.
The Eagles’ ironman has brought teammates to tears with his commitment to the team. Against the Giants, Kelce suffered a knee injury and spent the entire second quarter on the sideline. He then pulled a Willis Reed in the third quarter and battled in the trenches for the rest of the game.
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Kelce ranks third among 39 qualifying centers on PFF. He has allowed just one sack and 15 pressures this season and has started 116 consecutive games.
While his PFF ranking (51 out of 123 defensive linemen) has dipped in recent weeks, Hargrave’s pass-rushing prowess is still something to behold. As a pass-rushing defensive lineman, Hargrave ranks third out of 102 qualifiers. He already has a career-high seven sacks and 38 total pressures on the season, and there are still five games left to play.
Hargrave ranks second among defensive tackles in sacks this season, only a half-sack behind Tennessee Titans lineman Jeffery Simmons. He has one more sack than Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs and Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams.
CB Darius Slay
At this point in the season, Slay is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
He’s PFF’s fourth-ranked cornerback (out of 118 qualifiers), producing 39 tackles, six pass breakups, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns in just 12 games. Opposing quarterbacks have a putrid 71.3 QB rating against Slay in coverage.
Slay has allowed just 33 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns this season on 53 targets.
Elliott is the Eagles’ Comeback Player of the Year in a landslide. He’s converted 90% of his field-goal attempts and 100% of his extra-point attempts through 12 games. He’s 3-of-3 on field-goal attempts of 50 or more yards, and he didn’t miss at all in November. The reigning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month has only missed one field goal that wasn’t blocked this season.
Elliott is tied for seventh in field-goal conversion rate (90%) among kickers, and he’s only one of two kickers with a 90% field-goal conversion rate and a 100% extra-point conversion rate. Legendary Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is the only kicker with a better outlook in that regard.
LB Shaun Bradley (special teams ace)
Bradley, a sixth-round pick last year, has become the Eagles’ top special teams ace this season. Through 12 games, Bradley is tied for the NFC lead in special teams tackles with 10 takedowns. The Mount Holly native has played through a shoulder injury and been the most consistent performer in the third phase, even with standouts like Andre Chachere, T.J. Edwards, Zech McPhearson and Alex Singleton playing with him.
Further consideration: Right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson are on offensive line analyst Brandon Thorn’s ballot. Thorn is an authority on the offensive line and his opinion is noteworthy.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to us.
Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com.
Ad Choices