For the first time since 2000, no Patriots have been voted to the NFL’s all-star game.
The New England Patriots will unsurprisingly not be represented in the 2024 Pro Bowl games. Given the team’s lack of overall success this season, the voters decided against picking one of the team’s players to the all-star game; only one — punter Bryce Baringer — even finished in the top-10 of the fan vote portion of the process.
That does not mean the Patriots had no players who would have been deserving candidates of receiving the honor. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez and edge linebacker Matthew Judon both were on their way to potential Pro Bowl seasons before shoulder and biceps injuries, respectively, ended their seasons in the same game. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson also could have entered the conversation had he not gone down early in Week 13.
Even among the players who still reside on the active roster, there are three candidates deserving of consideration. That does not mean the eventual selections at their positions are not deserving, but that all three also built Pro Bowl-caliber cases throughout the 2023 season.
Let’s meet them.
DT Christian Barmore
Why he didn’t make it: Three interior defensive linemen were voted to the AFC’s Pro Bowl team over Barmore. The Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones and the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams made it as starters, with the Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Madubuike getting his first Pro Bowl nod as a reserve. Jones, Williams and Madubuike are among the three best interior pass rushers in the conference, with the Jets’ representatives in particular also being a standout run defender.
Why he was deserving: Barmore may lack the sack numbers of Jones and Madubuike, but he has more run stops to his name than both of them — despite playing in a two-gap scheme that asks him to primarily occupy space rather than make plays on the ball. The third-year man will make a Pro Bowl in the very near future if he continues playing on the same level he has over the last 10 weeks, but nobody should have blinked an eye had he made it over one of those two in particular.
LB Jahlani Tavai
Why he didn’t make it: The AFC Pro Bowl team has two Ravens at the linebacker spot, Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. The two have helped power one of the league’s best defenses, and are prototypical off-ball players in this day and age of NFL football. Smith is the starter, with first-timer Queen as the reserve option.
Why he was deserving: Tavai’s argument suffers from the fact that he is playing on a bad team; had the Patriots remained in the playoff discussion until the voting process closed, or had more primetime opportunities on their schedule, he might be a Pro Bowler now. After all, both his play and his numbers look the part: he has fewer tackles than the two Ravens, and has not been quite as disruptive a pass rusher as Queen, but also has more interceptions and forced fumbles to his name than both of them.
S Jabrill Peppers
Why he didn’t make it: Three safeties were named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad: another Raven, Kyle Hamilton, has been named starter alongside the Denver Broncos’ Justin Simmons, with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick as the backup option. All three have played at a high level this season, with Hamilton in particular standing out due to his knack for the football and command of Baltimore’s secondary.
Why he was deserving: Playing the best football of his career, Peppers has been a big-play machine for the Patriots this year. In fact, he has out-performed Fitzpatrick from a statistical perspective in almost every category: he has more takeaways, quarterback pressures and tackles, and has allowed fewer passes thrown his way to be completed. What he did not have, unfortunately, is name recognition and a team in the playoff hunt. Speaking strictly in terms of performance, however, he very well could have been a Pro Bowler.