The NFL announced its Pro Bowl selections on Tuesday, which triggered the usual outbursts over snubs, both real and imagined (more on those below).
All snubs are not created equal.
The purest snubs outplayed the selections at their positions and should have earned spots on the conference roster instead. Other snubs enjoyed Pro Bowl-caliber seasons, only to lose out because other players at their positions were similarly worthy.
Some of the most unfortunate snubs befell players the NFL lists at incorrect positions. That is how the Chiefs' Chris Jones, listed by the league as a defensive end, missed the Pro Bowl while collecting 14 sacks as a defensive tackle. Should a defensive tackle beat out actual defensive ends? Maybe, but he's more a victim of the system than an outright snub.
Other players are among a growing list who can blame an outdated voting structure. While the NFL has become a league featuring three-receiver personnel, joker running backs (hello, Alvin Kamara!), nickel cornerbacks and various other hybrid personnel, Pro Bowl ballots have not evolved.
Four snubbed players stood out in my conversations with personnel evaluators after the NFL released its initial rosters. These are the select few.
