NFL.com names Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen as one of biggest 2020 Pro Bowl “snubs”

Many Jacksonville Jaguars fans felt rookie defensive end should have earned an initial spot in the 2020 Pro Bowl (myself included), however that wasn’t quite the case. While Allen was named as a second alternate, Nick Shook of NFL.com names Allen as one of the biggest snubs in this year’s voting.

Here is what Shook wrote in his recent article:

“We’re going to make a cross-conference comparison here for the sake of illustrating how two similar performances sometimes don’t receive the same level of acclaim.

Through 14 games, Allen has 39 tackles, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. The rookie has quietly put together a very solid debut campaign for an otherwise forgettable Jaguars squad. On the other side of the conference divide exists fellow rookie Nick Bosa, whose stat line reads: 41 tackles, nine sacks, three passes defended, one interception and one forced fumble.

Those numbers are pretty similar, right? Yes, Bosa’s production in passes defensed gives him a slight advantage, but aside from that, there isn’t a significant difference between the stat lines.

Well, here’s a difference: Bosa’s team is in the heat of a tight division race, while Allen’s Jaguars have been eliminated from postseason contention. One has also received a lot more attention than the other in all forms of media.

Bosa is a 2020 Pro Bowler. Allen is not. Now, PFF’s metrics justify this selection, ranking Bosa as the eighth-best edge defender in the NFL with a defensive grade of 88.7. Allen ranks 47th at 67.7. Allen receives a slight boost in pass-rushing grade, moving up to 42nd, while Bosa remains at eighth.

It’s worth mentioning that Allen’s Pro Bowl chances probably weren’t helped by teammate Calais Campbell, who earned a spot on the AFC roster and the No. 2 grade among all edge defenders (13th in pass rushing). What makes this a snub, though, is the inclusion on the AFC team of Frank Clark, who posted a somewhat similar stat line (34 tackles, six sacks, three passes defended, one interception, three forced fumbles) but finds himself outside of the top 50 in PFF grades among edge rushers. Clark’s 64.9 mark lands him at 60th, among the likes of rookies Brian Burns and Maxx Crosby, and his pass-rushing mark still leaves him at 54th.

Then again, Clark’s offseason move to Kansas City and resulting payday makes him a name voters definitely recognize on a ballot. And sometimes, that’s the difference between a Pro Bowler and a snub.”

As Shook mentions, Calais Campbell was the lone Jaguar to make the Pro Bowl this season — his third straight. Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette, Logan Cooke and D.J. Chark Jr. were named alternates to some degree.

Allen was listed seventh out of ten players on the snubs list. He was joined by Kirk Cousins, Tyrann Mathieu, Josh Jacobs, Anthony Harris, Kenny Golladay, Darren Waller, Joe Schobert Chris Carson and Corey Littleton.

As a second alternate, there is a good chance Allen could play in the game on Jan. 26 in Orlando, anyway. Several players who make the roster miss it due to playing in the Super Bowl, injury or just deciding to skip it altogether.

Regardless of if Allen plays in the Pro Bowl or not, or if he wins Defensive Rookie of the Year or not, Allen is having a historical rookie season. He is the only player in franchise history to record double-digit sacks as a rookie, and Jaguars fan know they have a star in Allen for the foreseeable future.