3 Vikings Are Deserving of Their First Pro Bowl Selections
About two weeks ago, Pro Bowl voting officially opened, so fans can vote their favorite players to this year’s games.
The games will happen on February 4th, one week prior to the Super Bowl. Voting is open for fans until December 25th. As the voting takes place, here is a look at 3 Vikings who deserve to be considered for their first Pro Bowl selections.
S Josh Metellus
The Minnesota Vikings defense has been far improved in 2023, and much of that has to do with the emergence of Josh Metellus and his versatility to play virtually any position on the field. So far in 2023, Metellus has impacted the game in a number of ways, recording 81 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 passes defended, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
Metellus is one of six players this season (according to Stathead) with 30+ solo tackles, 5+ tackles for loss, 1+ sacks, 2+ forced fumbles, and 1+ interceptions, joining the following names:
- Myles Bryant
- Jamin Davis
- Germaine Pratt
- Fred Warner
- T.J. Watt
The Vikings safety has proven to be one of the most versatile players in the league, recording a combined 301 snaps in the slot and at outside CB, 255 snaps in the box, and 143 snaps on the defensive line, according to PFF.
LT Christian Darrisaw
It seems a bit crazy that Christian Darrisaw hasn’t made a Pro Bowl yet, but he hasn’t. Part of that likely has to do with the fact that he missed extended time during his first two seasons. He started 10 games during his rookie season of 2021 and had 14 starts in 2022.
However, Darrisaw surely deserves to be selected to the Pro Bowl this season. He has proven to be one of the very best left tackles in the NFL and has done so by excelling both in pass protection and run-blocking.
According to PFF’s grades, among all offensive tackles with at least 200 blocking snaps this season, Darrisaw is tied for the third-best overall tackle grade while also having the eighth-highest run-blocking grade and the second-best pass-blocking grade. Last year felt like Darrisaw was snubbed, so he should absolutely be in this year.
S Camryn Bynum
We can’t really talk about the success of the Vikings coinciding with the emergence of specific players without also bringing up Camryn Bynum’s name. While the Vikings use Metellus all over the field, Bynum has been a stalwart in coverage at that free safety spot this season.
Bynum was selected in the fourth-round of the 2021 NFL Draft and really got his first chance as a full-time starter last season. While 2022 didn’t go particularly well for the safety, he has blossomed into one of the better players at the position in 2023.
The third-year player has recorded 68 solo tackles this season, which ranks seventh in the NFL, while also putting together 8 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble. PFF considers Bynum as the fifth-best safety in the NFL, and he has not allowed a single touchdown yet this season in 496 pass coverage snaps.
Bynum’s improvement has come seemingly out of nowhere this season, and he deserves to be recognized for all the work he has put in to become a stalwart in the secondary.
NOTE: This article originally appeared on our sister-site, PurplePTSD.com.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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