The race for the NFC East crown is going to be hotly contested yet again in 2022, with Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington all having teams that they believe are ready to compete right now. All of these teams have potential Pro Bowl talent on both sides of the ball, and if a potential Super Bowl run is on the cards, all of these names need to step up and bring it all year long.
There's so much talent in the NFC, so much so that the NFC East gets overlooked quite a lot, but if you look up and down these four rosters, plenty of these players will one day be household names in the NFL. That process begins with Pro Bowl caliber campaigns, and the following four players are in the best position to achieve that in 2022.
Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Kelce
This isn't the sexy answer that Eagles fans would like, because sure, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown could all make the Pro Bowl in 2022, but Jason Kelce is a fantastic centre and remains one of the best in the game today. He's been a Pro Bowler five times in his amazing career, including the past two seasons, and if he's healthy, there's few more consistent and tough linemen in the entire NFL.
Many people have Philly pegged as the clear winner in the NFC East in 2022, and to make that happen, the skill position players will need to have career years, but names like Kelce will have great contributions that fly under the radar. His brother Travis is a lock for the AFC squad, so it's safe to say that this family will be well represented when the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl game rolls around.
New York Giants - Kayvon Thibodeaux
The New York Giants made splash on both sides of the ball in the 2022 NFL Draft, taking major building blocks at 5 & 7 in offensive tackle Evan Neal and defensive stud, Kayvon Thibodeaux. The former Oregon star faced plenty of criticism throughout the draft process, causing him to fall from what some predicted as the No. 1 overall spot only months earlier, but 2022 will allow him to speak through his play on the field.
Thibodeaux is a physical specimen with high IQ and an array of pass rushing moves, and if the hype on him from within Giants camp is real, we could be looking at a future Defensive Player of the Year. Many people are going to eat their pre-draft words on Kayvon, as he is someone who could quickly establish himself as one of the best pass rushers in the game, and he will start that process with a Defensive Rookie of the Year and a maiden Pro Bowl berth.
Washington Commanders - Chase Young
The second pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Chase Young, got selected to the Pro Bowl in his rookie campaign, but in 2021, suffered an unfortunate injury that cost him the final nine games of his sophomore season. He is potentially going to miss the beginning of the 2022 season, but if he can get healthy and be at his best for at least 12-13 games, his productivity should still be Pro Bowl worthy.
If Terry McClaurin can be at his best, he's another potential Pro Bowl name for Washington, but before his injury, Young was flashing signs of being one of the best edge rushers in the entire league, due to his insane athletic ability and his knack for getting too, and disrupting the QB. If Young can't get healthy for enough games, then McClaurin is the obvious choice, but Young is a physical presence like few others in the league, and if he's healthy, expect a big bounce back season.
Dallas Cowboys - Ezekiel Elliot
The Dallas Cowboys have been failing to live up to expectations for years, and if they are finally going to make a long postseason run, it will be on the back of their star offensive duo, QB Dak Prescott and running back, Ezekiel Elliot. Despite plenty of criticism that comes with playing for the Cowboys, Elliot has remained an elite level running back throughout his career, evident by his two career All-Pro selections, and three Pro Bowl appearances.
Only twice in Zeke's career has he failed to rush for over 1,000 yards, and with consistent Touchdown numbers year after year, he hasn't shown any significant signs of slowing down thus far. Making an impact in the playoffs will be the Cowboys biggest goal in 2022, but if Zeke can go back to eating like we all know he can, they'll have their best chance of doing that, and from there, the individual rewards will come.
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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