PFF Names Biggest Vikings Pro Bowl Snub

PFF Names Biggest Vikings Pro Bowl Snub
Vikings Helmet. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski).

The Vikings have five Pro Bowlers in the 2022 season. Kirk Cousins is now a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, despite having what many consider a down year. However, he is captaining a ship that is 12-3 and in the second spot in the NFC.

Winning football games can completely change the perception of a player. Overall, his volume stats line up with recent campaigns, as he is on pace to record 4,666 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

His favorite target, Justin Jefferson, is going to his third Pro Bowl in just his third career season. Jefferson is among the best players and is even in the discussion to win the MVP award. Of course, he only has some low outside chances because only quarterbacks are considered. He can very well be the first player ever to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a season.

PFF Names Biggest Vikings Pro Bowl Snub

Long snapper Andrew DePaola is a first-time Pro Bowler. The 11-year veteran is playing an unsung position, but he fought his way back from a torn ACL in 2018, and he was out of the league until the Vikings picked him up in November 2020.

PFF Names Biggest Vikings
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah added two more Pro Bowlers to the roster. His biggest move was the signing of Za’Darius Smith, a player the rival Packers released. He was close to signing with the Ravens, but the Vikings had the last laugh. Smith recorded ten sacks in the first 15 games and is among the league leaders in quarterback pressures and hurries.

The second Pro Bowl acquisition of the first-year general manager was T.J. Hockenson. After Irv Smith went down with an ankle sprain, the Vikings needed a tight end, and the GM pulled the trigger. The move for Hockenson was wonderful, and he is a crucial reason for the late-season success of the purple team.

Vikings Reinforcements on the Way
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Despite sending five players, Vikings fans universally questioned the missing of one player, Christian Darrisaw. The second-year player is undoubtedly one of the top offensive tackles in the game. Just like the Vikings fans thought he should be at the Pro Bowl, PFF’s Marcus Mosher has the same opinion.

He listed one Pro Bowl snub for every team. His choice for the Vikings was Darrisaw. Other candidates could have been Patrick Peterson, who is having an excellent season after clearly declining in recent seasons, or Harrison Smith, a six-time Pro Bowler and possibly still the best player of the Vikings’ defensive unit.

Darrisaw has missed a few games due to a concussion, but he’s among the league’s best left tackles this season. He did not allow a single sack in the first nine games of the season and has allowed only 15 pressures all year long. His play has dipped a bit since he returned to the lineup, but he’s still one of the highest-graded offensive linemen in the NFL (90.3).

Marcus Mosher, PFF, about Christian Darrisaw
Next Man Up Is Preferred for Vikings
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

Darrisaw was the last first-round pick of long-time Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. He traded down with the Jets and was still in a position to pick his target. The offensive tackle missed the preseason and the start of the season after having to undergo core muscle surgery. He had some normal rookie struggles but played a solid season.

Most expected a second-year jump from him, but few expected him to play at an elite level. The Vikings have a foundation piece at both ends of the offensive line. Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw are arguably the best offensive tackle duo in the game. Per PFF, Darrisaw is the second-best tackle and O’Neill the fifth-best in the 2022 season.


Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt

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