The NFL announced the 2023 Pro Bowl rosters on Wednesday, and three of those spots belong to Cleveland Browns. The players will head to Las Vegas in February for an event the NFL has branded “The Pro Bowl Games.”
The seven-day celebration will feature a variety of skill competitions for each position group. The event will also highlight a seven-on-seven flag football game that will be played on a 50-yard field. The Cleveland Browns will send three representatives to the games. Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, and Joel Bitonio have all been selected as starters at their respective positions.
The Pro Bowl was formerly a Hawaiian retreat for the league’s stars, now the games and events will move to Nevada and the confines of Allegiant Stadium. The seven days of festivities will begin on February 5. Other featured events include a relay race, a strength-and-speed competition for linemen, and a “Best Catch” contest.
The revamped event is meant to provide a safer way to showcase the league’s best and brightest. The choice to feature a flag football game is part of the league’s focused efforts regarding player health and safety.
All Smiles for Myles
Sixth-year vet Myles Garrett earns his fourth pro bowl trip. Garrett is having a career year. He is still in the chase for the league’s sack title, and his dominant play has him in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year honors. With 13.5 sacks on the year, Garrett is only 2.0 sacks behind league leader Nick Bosa, the standout defensive end from the San Francisco 49ers.
Garrett has been a star for the Cleveland defense, a unit that has been particularly banged up all year. Despite missing time after being injured in a single car accident during Week Four, Garrett hasn’t missed a beat. With three games still to play, Garrett has a chance to break the Browns single-season sack record of 16.0 which he set last year.
5 in a Row for Joel Bitonio
Joel Bitonio has been selected to his fifth straight Pro Bowl, becoming the ninth Cleveland Brown to do so. The ninth-year guard has been outstanding this year, shining in both the run and pass game. Bitonio is the Offensive Captain and the unit’s rock, playing every snap this season.
According to Pro Football Focus Bitonio is the second-highest-rated guard on the year. Bitonio is collecting accolades this season as earlier in December he was named the Browns 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
Nick Chubb Now a 4-Time Honoree
Running Back Nick Chubb has been a bright spot for the Browns on offense this season. Chubb is the definition of a feature back and his 1,252 yards are good for third-best in the league. Pro Football Focus ranks Chubb as their sixth-best running back on the year. Making his fourth straight Pro Bowl squad Chubb has already equaled his career high with 12 rushing touchdowns on the season. He will look to improve on that total over the team’s final three games.
With a 6-8 record through 15 weeks of play, the Browns still have an outside shot at making the playoffs. They will host the New Orleans Saints in Week 16.
Comments
3 Browns Selected as Starters for the NFL Pro Bowl Games