Were the Cowboys Deserving of Eight Pro Bowlers?
This year’s Pro Bowl rosters were announced for Sunday’s game, surprising many around the NFL with how many Dallas Cowboys were selected. The Cowboys will send a whopping eight players to this season’s Pro Bowl, the most of any team in the league. Over the past decade, the Pro Bowl has faced increasing scrutiny regarding how players are selected and the level of competition displayed in the game itself. Given that Dallas missed the playoffs and finished the season with a 7-9-1 record, the question becomes whether it is justified for the Cowboys to have the most representatives in this year’s Pro Bowl.
On the surface, a team with a losing record and no playoff appearance leading the league in Pro Bowl selections feels out of touch. However, when looking closely at who was selected, the choices become more understandable. Initially, the Cowboys had only five players named to the roster, with most selections reflecting their status as one of the league’s top offenses. Dak Prescott was one of three quarterbacks selected, and this season may have been the best of his career based on both advanced metrics and on-field performance. Prescott benefitted from throwing to George Pickens, a second-team All-Pro, and being protected by Tyler Smith, who turned in another strong season at left guard. Special teams and defense were also represented, as Brandon Aubrey, one of the league’s top kickers, and Quinnen Williams, whom the Cowboys traded for mid-season, both had seasons of note this year. Those five players were later joined by CeeDee Lamb, who earned his fifth straight Pro Bowl selection, Kavonte Turpin, another special teams standout, and tight end Jake Ferguson, who made the roster after recording eight touchdowns.
After reviewing the eight Cowboys selected for this year’s Pro Bowl, it becomes clear that most of the selections are justified. Prescott, Pickens, Aubrey, and Lamb are unquestionably deserving and should not be excluded. Williams, despite playing on a historically poor defense, still delivered elite-level production and established himself as a key contributor on that side of the ball. The only real question marks are Turpin and Ferguson. Ferguson had a solid season, though his selection may have been aided by other players declining Pro Bowl invitations. Still, his inclusion is understandable. Turpin’s season felt like a step back compared to previous years, yet his performance was strong enough to earn second-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection. While national media has continued to recognize Turpin’s impact, his lack of attention within the Dallas market raises some eyebrows. Even with those two debatable choices, the Cowboys sending eight players to the Pro Bowl is not as outrageous as it initially appears. A team with an elite offense held back by a historically poor defense can still feature a significant amount of top-end talent, and that reality defines this year’s Dallas Cowboys.
