The Washington Commanders have multiple players worthy of a Pro Bowl nod this season. Not only do the Commanders have players worthy of a Pro Bowl nomination, defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne should be seriously mentioned as All-Pro candidates.
Pro Football Focus named its third-quarter All-Pro team this week, and there was no mention of Allen, Payne, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, or punter Tress Way.
There were four interior defensive linemen ahead of Payne and Allen: Dexter Lawrence, Aaron Donald, Quinnen Williams and Chris Jones. All four are great players. Donald is already one of the greatest defensive linemen of all time.
But how did Allen and Payne fail to make the list? McLaurin and Way are understandable. There are so many wide receivers putting up bigger numbers. That’s not because of McLaurin’s inability but more of a function of Washington’s offense. Allen and Payne have combined for 16 sacks and are tied for second in the NFL with 15 tackles for loss apiece.
Good thing PFF isn’t the real thing, right?
There was some good news for the Commanders. Someone did make PFF’s All-Pro team, and it’s not who you think.
Washington safety Jeremy Reaves made the cut as PFF’s special-teams pick.
Reaves has more special teams snaps than any other player in the NFL and also has the best PFF grade. That’s difficult to achieve. He has 15 special teams tackles.
Good for Reaves. It’s nice to see him receive some national recognition. While Darrick Forrest and Kam Curl have the safety spots locked down for the foreseeable future, the always-reliable Reaves never fails to impress when called into duty on defense. Reaves has earned himself a comfortable spot on Washington’s roster for his role on special teams.
As for Payne and Allen, don’t be surprised if one of the two earns All-Pro honors from the NFL after the season.
