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Assessing worthiness of Arizona Cardinals' Pro Bowlers
The Arizona Cardinals may be in a season ending free fall but at least they had four players elected to the Pro Bowl.
Kyler Murray, Chandler Jones, Budda Baker and James Conner all earned All-Star honors that will send them to Las Vegas for the annual event on Feb. 6. While exciting for players and fans, the Pro Bowl has unfortunately been devalued due to it operating more as a popularity contest than a true test of production and performance.
For example, while pass rusher Chandler Jones does have 9.5 sacks, five of those came in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Since then Jones has gone sackless in four games while also failing to match the production of former Cardinal now Panther Haason Reddick. Reddick, with his 11 sacks, was not selected. This marks the second consecutive year in which the Temple product has been a notable snub from the event.
So while Jones will happily accept the Pro Bowl accolade heading into free agency, an argument can be made that his trip to Allegiant Stadium is a likely result of past production.
For Murray, the selection marked his second in as many years, earning the honors over fellow NFC West signal caller Matthew Stafford. While his numbers early in the season vaulted him atop the MVP standings, Murray’s less-than-stellar second half (three-game absence, 1-3 record) leaves a lot to be desired. It’s clear that Murray’s popularity among players and fans cannot be overstated. Unlike Stafford, who is largely seen as the event’s biggest snub, Murray’s playing style routinely leads to highlight moments that captivate even his biggest critics.
It’s the Michael Vick effect, who himself went to four Pro Bowls. Perhaps there are others more deserving, but the casual fan wants to see Murray because he’s so unique. He also garners much more respect from opposing defenders because of both his size, speed and elite arm talent.
It also doesn’t hurt that, despite his recent struggles, Murray still sports the league’s third best passer rating in conjunction with what he’s able to do on the ground as a runner.
Then there’s safety Budda Baker, who is quickly becoming a staple as a Pro Bowler. With four selections in five seasons (2017, 2019-21), Baker is slowly building a Canton-esque résumé thanks to the versatility that he brings to the position. Unlike so many other Cardinal greats of the past (ala Adrian Wilson), Baker resonates with the majority of NFL fans despite Arizona’s modest market. When the Cardinals are fortunate to garner a nationally televised game, Baker usually shines brightest amongst his teammates.
With this selection, Baker has likely been cemented into a position where (similar to Jones) he will consistently garner Pro Bowl honors based on his reputation alone.
Prior to the season, each of the players mentioned above would have likely been strong candidates to earn Pro Bowl berths in 2021.
The same cannot be said for James Conner.
Making his return to the event for the first time since his sophomore season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Conner has gone from April signing afterthought to marquee NFC running back. With an unprecedented 16 touchdowns this season, Conner has been a revelation for a Cardinals offense that was in desperate need of both his physical play and emotion on the sideline.
The once understudy to the incumbent Chase Edmonds, Conner proved early on this season that he could be more than just a short-yardage option for coach Kliff Kingsbury. His improved pass-catching ability is consistently on display, as is his nose for the end zone. This all culminated in Week 9, following an injury to Edmonds. As a result, the former Pittsburgh Panther enjoyed a banner day against the 49ers en route to more than 160 yards of total offense.
Of all the Cardinals Pro Bowl selections this season, James Conner is the most enjoyable. With a modest season salary of just under $2 million, the level of production combined with the impact he’s had on this Arizona locker room make him one of the best values in all of pro sports. An argument could be made that Conner, not Murray, has been the team’s most valuable offensive player this season.
Of those who were not selected as participants, the only notable snub for the Cardinals would be kicker Matt Prater (alternate). For a team that was dismal at place kicking a year ago, Prater has been a godsend. While his kicking percentage (88 percent) is lacking when compared to the selected starter Matt Gay (96 percent), Prater is routinely asked to attempt longer kicks on which is he more successful from 50 yards or farther (6-for-8).
Unlike so many Cardinals kickers of the past, Prater is a viewed as an asset rather than a liability. He is a weapon that most opponents fear thanks to his mega-leg, as well as his ability to convert the occasional onside kick. Pro Bowl selection or not, both Prater and Conner remain GM Steve Keim’s stop offseason acquisitions.
Cornerback Byron Murphy, who was also selected as an alternate, started the season white-hot in what was looking like a career year for the Valley native. However, like many of his Cardinals teammates, Murphy’s production has fallen off recently with back-to-back subpar performances against the Rams and Lions. With physicality as his calling card, Murphy is too often seen lagging behind opposing receivers in the open field. He also needs considerable improvement playing the football, especially in the red zone.
The trio of offensive linemen in D.J. Humphries, Rodney Hudson and Max Garcia were each selected as alternates for the event, yet none are truly deserving of Pro Bowl honors. After a career year in 2020, Humphries has largely been mediocre this season. He is routinely beaten by lesser pass rushers while consistently exposing Kyler Murray to big hits in the pocket. Hudson has been a staple when available, yet the veteran has missed three games this season due to injury and is questionable again this Saturday against Indy. Lastly, there’s Max Garcia, who was undoubtedly the biggest surprise among all the alternates selected. While his versatility is essential, he is more-or-less an average starter on most Sundays.
For a Cardinals offensive line that is too often at it’s weakest along its interior, to see both Hudson and Garcia nominated further emphasizes the inconsistencies with this entire Pro Bowl process.
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