Pro Bowl roster 2013: A lack of Rams representation in this year’s game doesn’t damper future
The St. Louis Rams may not have put a player on the 2013 Pro Bowl team, but they have a few who may find themselves in this game sooner rather than later.
Rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins had 73 tackles and four interceptions in his first season, and looks to be one of the best rookies of the 2012 draft class. Barring injury, wide receiver Danny Amendola was well on his way to leading the league in receptions, and could have found himself on the team.
Rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein hit 14-of-20 field goals from over 40 yards this season.
As it is, the Rams join the Panthers and Eagles as teams without a representative on the 2012 NFC Pro Bowl team.
The Pro Bowl is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday in Honolulu. The NFC quarterbacks are New Orleans’ Drew Brees, New York’s Eli Manning and Seattle’s Russell Wilson. Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson highlights the list of running backs after rushing for the second-most yards in league history. He’s joined by Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch and Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin.
The wide receivers for the NFC are Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, Atlanta’s Julio Jones, New York’s Victor Cruz and Tampa Bay’s Vincent Jackson.
The offensive tackles will be Russell Okung (Seattle), Jermon Bushrod (New Orleans) and Matt Kalil, with offensive guards Jahri Evans (New Orleans), Chris Snee (New York) and Josh Sitton (Green Bay). The centers are Seattle’s Max Unger and Green Bay’s Jeff Saturday. The NFC’s tight ends are Dallas’s Jason Witten and Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph.
On the defensive side of the ball, Tampa Bay’s Gerald McCoy joins Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh and Chicago’s Henry Melton as a youth movement is emerging among interior defensive linemen in the NFC. The defensive ends are Minnesota’s Jared Allen, New York’s Jason Pierre-Paul and Chicago’s Julius Peppers.
The outside linebackers are Minnesota’s Chad Greenway, Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan and Dallas’s Anthony Spencer. The inside/middle linebackers are Washington’s London Fletcher and Atlanta’s Daryl Washington.
Chicago’s pair of cornerbacks, Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, will start for the NFC with Arizona’s Patrick Peterson backing them up. The free safeties are Seattle’s Earl Thomas and Atlanta’s Thomas DeCoud. Atlanta’s William Moore is at strong safety.
Thomas Morestead of New Orleans will be the NFC’s punter, with Minnesota rookie Blair Walsh assuming kicking duties. Seattle’s Leon Washington is the kick returner with Washington’s Lorenzo Alexander the special teams player. Detroit’s Don Muhlbach will be the long-snapper.
