4. S David Bruton
David Bruton has long deserved a Pro Bowl selection, and I’m not talking about his play at safety; for years now, Bruton has been both the captain and heart-and-soul of the Denver Broncos special teams, and he’s never been rewarded by the NFL for his outstanding play with a Pro Bowl nod.
Instead, they just keep giving that designation to the Patriots’ Matthew Slater, who’s made the Pro Bowl as the AFC’s special teams player for the last five years.
And Slater deserves those distinctions, but if there was ever a year to give that spot to someone else, it would have been this year.
Now, Bruton hasn’t been as impactful on special teams this season, but that’s because he’s been a major part of the NFL’s best defense. With that taken into consideration, along with his nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and the fact that he played through an entire game with a broken fibula (!!), I think the guy deserved the spot, even if it is more of a body-of-work selection.
