The Houston Texans are sending a trio of players to the Pro Bowl.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson is going for his second time, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins now has four Pro Bowl bids to his name and left tackle Laremy Tunsil can call himself a Pro Bowler for the first time in his four-year career.
All three deserve to go to Orlando, Fla., in late January for the annual all-star game. However, the 9-5 Texans could have sent a few more; specifically, six roster members should be heading with Watson, Hopkins, and Tunsil to Central Florida.
1. RB Carlos Hyde
It was always going to be tough for Carlos Hyde to make the Pro Bowl. Star running backs rule the AFC with deserving rushers Mark Ingram, Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry making the Orlando roster.
If Josh Jacobs, a leading offensive rookie of the year candidate, couldn’t get in, then it was going to be tough sledding for Hyde.
However, the 29-year-old has an argument for making the roster. Splitting carries with Duke Johnson, the sixth-year former Buckeye has had a career season in 2019 with 1,030 rushing yards (10th in the NFL) for five touchdowns and a 4.6 yards per carry.
“I really like the way Carlos runs the ball,” coach Bill O’Brien told reporters Monday. “I think that he gets his pads down, I think he can run all the runs, he can run inside, he can run outside, he’s got really good vision, very coachable guy, good teammate, gets tough yards.”
Hyde was not named an alternate.
2. S Justin Reid
At 22 years old, safety Justin Reid is the youngest to make the list of snubs, but he’s wholly deserving. The Texans’ Ed Block Courage Award winner, Reid was recognized for his toughness to play through shoulder and wrist injuries on Tuesday. He should earn a second award.
Reid — while missing one game (concussion) — is an electrifying presence on the back end of the Texans’ secondary. He has settled in at the free safety position well in 2019, providing big hits and sideline-to-sideline play in the process.
“Very versatile player, doing a lot of different things for us, can play in the deep part of the field, plays down around the formation, very instinctive guy, smart player that understands the defense,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Nov. 5. “He’s just doing a lot of good things. He’s a good tackler, he’s got a nose for the ball.”
On the season, Reid has 72 combined tackles, four pass deflections and an interception. He was not named an alternate.
3. DT D.J. Reader
Perhaps the biggest snub, D.J. Reader should be on the initial Pro Bowl roster. Instead, the NFL named him an alternate behind Cameron Heyward, Chris Jones and Geno Atkins.
Reader should replace one, with all respect towards each of the three aforementioned. The fourth-year Clemson product may have cooled down from his fast start to the season and he doesn’t have the pass-rush numbers (2.5 sacks), but he’s the engine of the Texans’ defense.
“D.J. has had a good year. He’s been very consistent, very productive,” said coach Bill O’Brien on Dec. 2. “He’s very, very difficult to block, he’s a very active player, he’s a great teammate and that needs to continue, and he knows that.”
Pro Football Focus agrees as they named him one of their snubs. His 87.6 overall grade is second in the conference at his position. He has quadrupled his QB hits number from 2018 to 2019, tallying 12 on the season.
4. LB Zach Cunningham
Zach Cunningham is not just a good run defender; he’s an elite one and perhaps the best in the NFL.
According to Pro Football Focus, Cunningham leads the NFL in run stops (44) and run-stop rate (14.3%). Though not particularly proficient as a coverage linebacker, his sure-tackling, knack for finding the ball and fiery playing style make for a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
His teammate and fellow snub, safety Justin Reid, thinks differently. He sees an All-Pro player, either this year or next year.
“If he’s not an All Pro this year, he will be next year,” Reid said after the Texans beat the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. “You can put that in the paper.”
Cunningham also leads the AFC in tackles with 128, which is fifth-best in the entire NFL. His 89 solo tackles rank second in the league.
Luckily, there’s hope for Cunningham to visit Orlando. The NFL named him as a Pro Bowl alternate behind Darius Leonard and D’Onta Hightower. Of course, he could follow the route of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee in 2016: make All-Pro and then get named as an injury replacement thereafter.
5. C Nick Martin
For someone who received his fair share of slander in the offseason and when he signed a three-year, $33 million extension on Sept. 10, Nick Martin has played very well in 2019.
“Tough, smart and dependable. That’s what Nick is,” coach Bill O’Brien on Sept. 11. “He loves football, he loves being a Texan. In the past he’s had to deal with some injuries, he’s come back, though. He played a lot of football.”
According to ESPN, Martin is the NFL’s sixth-best pass blocker, earning a 96% Pass Block Win Rate throughout the season. He’s also grown as a reliable force for now-two-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson.
“Nick is like a brother to me,” said Watson on Dec. 2. “We have a great relationship. If the quarterback and center don’t have that great relationship, there can be a lot of bad things happen for sure, because he controls everybody up front and as he goes, I go.”
The NFL named Martin an alternate behind Maurkice Pouncey and Rodney Hudson.
6. S Tashaun Gipson
Safety Tashaun Gipson hasn’t been to a Pro Bowl since 2014. However, the 30-year-old should have broken that stretch of no appearances on Tuesday. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen — not even an alternate designation for the veteran.
Though missing two games, Gipson has played the part of one of the NFL’s best in 2019, despite wearing a cast for much of the season. Heading into Week 15, fellow snub safety Justin Reid praised him, calling him “undoubtedly the best cover safety in the league.”
” I mean, there’s many times like after the Pro Bowl voting, T-Gip was actually my first call before the guys that made the Pro Bowl because I really thought he played well enough to make the Pro Bowl and I thought a ton of him that way,” said Jaguars coach Doug Marrone on Sept. 11.
Through 15 weeks of play, Gipson is seventh in the NFL in allowed passer rating (39.8) and fourth for all safeties. He leads the Texans in interceptions with three (including a pick-six) while recording 44 combined tackles and eight pass deflections as a strong-side safety.
