Let's get one thing out of the way first: The Pro Bowl doesn't matter. Well, it matters to the players in a sense, because contract bonuses are on the line and who wouldn't want a free vacation to Hawaii in the middle of January? But in the bigger picture, the game itself doesn't mean much, and it means even less now that the NFL has gotten rid of conference teams and turned the whole thing into a fantasy draft.
Still, it's fun to have opinions on who deserved and didn't deserve to go, even if most of the roster (which you can see here) either pulls out "injured" or goes to the Super Bowl. At the very least, it's nice to see certain players get their due credit. Likewise, the Pro Bowl helps us figure out who the most overrated players are — because seriously, how the hell did Beloved Veteran Who Missed Three Games get voted in again!?
So yeah, the Pro Bowl is kind of dumb, but there's no question it's a good conversation piece. With that in mind, let's now get mad online and talk about this year's biggest Pro Bowl snubs.
Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
OK, so Dalton is on the sidelines with a broken thumb and probably wouldn't have played this game anyway. But still, for 12 games Dalton was really good. Not just "good by Andy Dalton standards," but legitimately good, one of the biggest reasons why the Bengals got off to a 10-2 start. It's a packed field for Pro Bowl quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger are all deserving) but Dalton's omission is a glaring one. He at least has a stronger case than Aaron Rodgers this season.
Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
What kind of world do we live in when 13 touchdowns isn't enough for a trip to Hawaii? Robinson has been a force of nature in his second season, spurring on a Jaguars offense that has quietly become one of the most fun to watch in the league. He's certainly a more deserving Pro Bowler than Calvin Johnson, who has been relatively quiet for most of the year outside of his three-touchdown Thanksgiving outburst.
Jordan Reed, TE, Washington
Rob Gronkowski, Tyler Eifert, Greg Olsen and Travis Kelce are all fine nominations, but if I had my way I would put in Reed over Kelce. After two injury-plagued seasons, Reed stayed relatively healthy in 2015 and has formed an excellent connection with Kirk Cousins. His nine touchdowns are tied for third among tight ends, behind only Gronkowski and Eifert.
Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks
A nondescript slot receiver for most of his career, Baldwin has been on absolute fire over the past month, catching 10 touchdowns over the span of four games. The last receiver to pull that off? Some dude named Jerry Rice. You probably never heard of him.
Gary Barnidge, TE, Cleveland Browns
So who is tied with Reed for the third-most touchdowns among tight ends? That would be Barnidge, who came out of completely nowhere at age 30 to become the Browns' most reliable playmaker. To show you how fast Barnidge's rise had become, he had 44 career catches before 2015. He exceeded that total in just 10 games this season. I know the tight end field is crowded this year, but let's throw a bone to one of the few watchable Browns, yeah?
Malcolm Jenkins, S, Philadelphia Eagles
Jenkins is one of the most consistent players on an Eagles defense that doesn't seem to show up every week. His biggest highlight play was the 99-yard pick-six of Tom Brady in Week 13, sparking the Eagles to an upset win at Gillette Stadium. With so many high-priced free agents flopping in the Chip Kelly era, Jenkins has been a downright bargain at two years, $15 million.
Reshad Jones, S, Miami Dolphins
In a year, where almost nothing went right for the Dolphins, Jones has been one of their biggest bright spots. His 124 tackles are fifth in the league, while he's tied for sixth with five interceptions. He arguably has a better case than Kam Chancellor, with the Seahawks' Legion of Boom secondary having a down year overall.
Mike Daniels, DE, Green Bay Packers
Daniels has emerged as one of the top 3-4 defensive ends in the league, and he's enjoying another quality season in Green Bay. Yet, he's lost in the shuffle in another crowded field at defensive end. The Pro Bowl could stand to differentiate between 3-4 and 4-3 linemen, so you don't end up with guys like J.J. Watt and Fletcher Cox lumped in with guys like Michael Bennett and Geno Atkins. Until then, guys like Daniels will be left in the cold.
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SB Nation presents: Christmas gifts for Andy Dalton and other quarterbacks