Before the Pro Bowl teams are announced on "NFL Total Access: Pro Bowl Players Revealed," airing Tuesday night on NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET, Gregg Rosenthal has highlighted one player on each team in the NFL that deserves a spot. Note: This is not necessarily the best or most obvious potential Pro Bowler on each squad, just a player we chose to highlight. (Sorry, Tom Brady.)
Baltimore Ravens: Eric Weddle, safety. Weddle was born to play for the Ravens. He can cover tight ends, deliver big hits and stop the run. He's the biggest reason Baltimore's defense is greater than the sum of its parts.
Buffalo Bills: Lorenzo Alexander, linebacker. He's one of those players for whom a trip to the Pro Bowl will mean so much. After 12 seasons, six teams and many position changes, Alexander has enjoyed an out-of-nowhere season for the ages, posting 11.5 sacks through Week 15.
Cincinnati Bengals: Geno Atkins, defensive tackle. You can't blame Atkins for the Bengals' struggles. Twenty-three QB hits, 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks only tell part of the story of his weekly disruptive play.
Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas, tackle. There is something noble about doing your job at an extremely high level for a 10th straight season while the world burns around you.
Denver Broncos: Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver. Both Sanders and Demaryius Thomas deserve notice for excellent play in difficult circumstances all season. It's not Sanders' fault that Denver can't protect its quarterbacks.
Houston Texans: Whitney Mercilus, defensive end. Season after season, Mercilus is the most disruptive pass rusher that doesn't get enough love. His lack of sacks (5.5) will make him a tough sell for a trip to Orlando, but he absolutely has earned it for his all-around play.
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, quarterback. Six quarterbacks are chosen for the Pro Bowl, and Luck belongs in that group. He has overcome his offensive line while cutting way down on his mistakes.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Telvin Smith, linebacker. Despite their claim that they have an "exceptionally talented" roster, the Jaguars were the toughest AFC team on which to find a Pro Bowler. We'll reward Smith's rangy game because it's a joy to watch, but this one is a bit of a stretch.
Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry, safety. We're not quite buying the Defensive Player of the Year argument, but Berry has staked his claim as the best safety in football. He can play deep center field or near the line of scrimmage. His forced fumbleagainst the Titans was typical of a season filled with big plays.
Miami Dolphins: Cameron Wake, defensive end. Wake may just win Comeback Player of the Year, like Berry did last season. Coming off a torn Achilles at 34 years old, Wake has 22 QB hits, 10.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. His get-off on the line of scrimmage at his size (6-foot-3, 263 pounds) is still freakish. He's one of the best players of the last decade that gets forgotten too often.
New England Patriots: Malcolm Butler, cornerback. His ascension from undrafted rookie to Super Bowl hero to top-10 cornerback is almost taken for granted. No one competes harder snap to snap, and few cornerbacks hit like Butler. He punches above his weight.
New York Jets: Leonard Williams, defensive lineman. In a miserable year for general manager Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles, at least they know they got this pick right. Through Year 2 of his career, Williams has all the makings of a guy that makes the Pro Bowl every season for the next decade.
Oakland Raiders: Donald Penn, tackle.Derek Carr should be joined at the Pro Bowl by some of the offensive linemen that protected him as well as any quarterback in football. Penn and guard Kelechi Osemele are no-brainer selections.
Pittsburgh Steelers: David DeCastro, guard.Le'Veon Bell is in my mix for MVP. His success, in part, comes from an excellent interior group in front of him led by DeCastro.
San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordon, running back. Six running backs make the Pro Bowl. Whether he returns to the field from his hip injury or not, Gordon was one of football's six best backs this season. He was fifth in yards from scrimmage entering Week 15 and ran so much tougher than his pre-draft reputation indicated.
Tennessee Titans: DeMarco Murray, running back. On behalf of every stupid writer out there who doubted the Titans' acquisition of Murray, I would like to apologize to Mike Mularkey, general manager Jon Robinson and the entire Murray family.
