6 Possible First-Time Pro Bowlers for Vikings
The fans’ vote element to the 2025 Pro Bowl has opened, and with the Vikings sitting with a 9-2 record, you would expect them to have several players get the accolade this year.
6 Possible First-Time Pro Bowlers for Vikings
Some obvious candidates have been there before, but I want to examine the six possible first-time Vikings Pro Bowlers and their chances of making it.
6 Possible First-Time Vikings Pro Bowlers
The Vikings have several players who have been there before, some of whom could make it again. Justin Jefferson will certainly be voted in, and Brian O’Neill has an excellent chance. The Pro Bowl is, in many respects, a popularity contest as much as it is about who the league’s best players are. However, it means a lot to the players who receive the accolade, and this year, I believe five Vikings have a chance at getting the recognition.
Sam Darnold
MVP chatter might have cooled down for Sam Darnold, but the Vikings quarterback is having the best season of his career. Finishing with a Pro Bowl nomination seems realistic, as long as he has more games like the one he had last week and no more games like the three-interception game he had in Jacksonville. Through 11 games, Darnold has 2717 passing yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 165 rushing yards for 1 touchdown and 20 first downs.
Darnold’s overall grade of 81.9 from Pro Football Focus ranks 9th across the league and 3rd in the NFC. Darnold’s success has been the feel-good redemption story of the NFL this season, and a trip to the Pro Bowl would be a fitting way to end it.
Garrett Bradbury
This might raise a few eyebrows, but Garrett Bradbury is the 9th-ranked center via PFF, with only Frank Ragnow and Hjalte Froholdt graded higher in the NFC. Ragnow is on a different level from anyone else in the conference, and if the Detroit Lions advance to the Super Bowl, the two center spots for the NFC could go anywhere with Bradbury in the mix. The veteran has his weaknesses, but Bradbury is one of the better run blockers in the league and is a solid starter; that might be enough to get him in this year.
Jonathan Greenard
Should Jonathan Greenard not be voted to the Pro Bowl, it would quite frankly be a disgrace. Another player ranked 9th in his position by PFF with an 87.2 grade, Greenard, has been an excellent signing for the Vikings this season and has immediately filled the big shoes of the departed Danielle Hunter. Only the injured Aiden Hutchinson and Nick Bosa rated higher in the NFC per PFF, and Greenard should certainly be selected for the Pro Bowl. Greenard has generated 55 pressures, 9 sacks, 37 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 pass deflections. He should be in the All-Pro conversation, not just the Pro Bowl.
Andrew Van Ginkel
He won’t receive the fanfare of the dominant pass-rushers at his position, but Andrew Van Ginkel is a fantastic football player. Van Ginkel can do it all with 9 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 4 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions – both returned for a touchdown. There’s plenty of competition at the position, and I don’t think Van Ginkel gets in as a first choice, but if a few drop out – injury or Super Bowl bound – he might stand a chance. Already a very popular player, Van Ginkel will surely get strong support in the fan’s vote.
Blake Cashman
Blake Cashman has proved to be a vital part of Minnesota’s defense in his first season as a Viking. He was sorely missed during a three-game spell where he was absent with turf toe, which may hinder his Pro Bowl chances. Cashman has 55 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and 5 pass deflections from eight games. He’s outside the very best linebackers in the league but, once again, is someone who might have a chance to sneak in once the withdrawals start.
Trent Sherfield
Trent Sherfield is the special teams option for the Vikings. He has shone as the Vikings gunner, a role he took on after the man who did it last season, Mekhi Blackmon, tore his ACL in the first practice of training camp. It might not have been the role he expected when he signed as a free agent in March, but Sherfield embraced it. He has also made the few opportunities on offense, catching 7 of 8 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown.
I have no idea where Sherfield ranks in the eyes of those around the league who get a vote, but you can be sure the Vikings faithful will back him in the fan vote.
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