Getty The Green Bay Packers have some ground to make up in this year's Pro Bowl voting.
It hasn’t been a great season for the Green Bay Packers, and unless something drastic happens over the final few weeks of the 2022 season, the team won’t be very well represented in the Pro Bowl this season.
Heading into Week 14, the NFL provided an update on the Pro Bowl voting across the league, which ends on December 15. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leads all players in total votes with over 138,000 votes according to the NFL’s December 7 press release.
Unfortunately for Packers fans, no one on Green Bay’s roster led their respective position in votes. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman provided a list of Packers players that are currently in the hunt for the Pro Bowl, but their positional rankings left something to be desired.
Packers in the top 10 at their positions league-wide in Pro Bowl fan voting:
Jaire Alexander, No. 5 CB
Pat O’Donnell, No. 6 punter
Aaron Jones, No. 8 RB
Keisean Nixon, No. 9 return specialist
Former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander is currently the only Packers player in the top five of his position in Pro Bowl voting. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s most consistent offensive weapon in Aaron Jones only ranks eighth among running backs.
Jaire Alexander is Having a Boom-or-Bust Season
Although he’s leading all Packers players in Pro Bowl voting, it has been a strange season for Jaire Alexander.
The 2022 season got off to a strong start for the former All-Pro after he signed a four-year, $84 million extension to stay in Green Bay. The former first-round pick had missed the majority of the 2021 season with a shoulder injury, but the Packers wanted to keep him around for the foreseeable future.
On paper, Alexander is having a career year. Through 13 games, the 25-year-old has a career-high four interceptions to go along with 12 pass deflections. However, according to Pro Football Focus, Alexander is allowing a career high 14.9 yards per reception allowed, and his 506 yards allowed are the most he’s given up since 2019.
That being said, Alexander is still allowing a career-low passer rating of just 70.0. Packers fans have seen him give up explosive plays over the last few weeks, including a couple to the Chicago Bears, but his production and ability to generate turnovers has kept him in the conversation as one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
Could Christian Watson Make the Pro Bowl?
It’s been an unbelievable late-season stretch for rookie wide receiver Christian Watson. However, if he wants to sneak into the Pro Bowl, then he might need a miracle.
Watson was taken in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft after flashing his explosive playmaking ability at North Dakota State. The 6’5″ receiver had the size and speed to be a deep threat, but his NFL career got off to a poor start when he dropped what would have been a 75-yard touchdown on his first ever snap at the pro level.
Injuries and drops kept Watson from getting more involved in the offense until Week 10, when the Dallas Cowboys came to Lambeau Field. The rookie finished the game with four receptions for 107 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first rookie wide receiver to score three touchdowns against the Cowboys since Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss.
Watson has been on a tear since then, racking up eight total touchdowns over a four-week span. After fellow rookie Romeo Doubs looked to be the more reliable receiver earlier in the season, Watson has emerged as a threat to turn any play into a touchdown with his impressive speed.
Unfortunately, Watson is nowhere close to the top vote-getter at his position, and there is only one week left of voting. Barring a massive last-minute push, it’s unlikely that Watson can make the Pro Bowl, especially since the Packers are on bye in Week 14.