Open thread: Rank Lions by probability of returning to the Pro Bowl

Open thread: Rank Lions by probability of returning to the Pro Bowl
Pride of Detroit Pride of Detroit

We ranked Detroit Lions by the probability that they return to the Pro Bowl in 2025.

Making one Pro Bowl is an achievement. Making two? Easier said than done.

The NFL Pro Bowl has had many one-hit wonders, such as Tyler Huntley earning a nod in 2022 despite making just four starts or Mitchell Trubisky being carried by his team to a Pro Bowl appearance. Similarly, there have been many well-deserving players that, for one reason or another, have struggled to earn the invitation. Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker was drafted in 2016 and put together many years of excellent play, yet it took until 2024 for him to earn his first invite.

Last season, the Lions had eight Pro Bowlers. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, and Jack Fox were selected as starters at their respective positions, while Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch made the team as reserves. The aforementioned Decker, meanwhile, was nominated as an alternate following Sewell’s withdraw.

We have already discussed some potential new faces that could represent the Lions at the Pro Bowl, but which ones are likely to repeat in 2025?

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Which Detroit Lion is most likely to return to the Pro Bowl next season?

My answer: Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Ranking them from most likely to least:

  1. Amon-Ra St. Brown: St. Brown is easily a top-five receiver in the NFL, and given that four receivers make the Pro Bowl per conference, that leaves a lot of room for a player of St. Brown’s caliber. He has some competition for best in the conference (Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb to name a few), but it would be very surprising for him to drop out of the NFC top four.
  2. Jahmyr Gibbs: Gibbs has been tied to the hip of Bijan Robinson given their status as fellow first round picks from 2023. However, I think this is the season he not only elevates himself firmly above Robinson, but also into the conversation for best in the NFL. The biggest factor working against him is volume. Other NFC running backs like Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs are bell cows, meaning they might top Gibbs’ totals due to quantity, not quality.
  3. Penei Sewell: I think Sewell is the best tackle in the NFL, yet the Pro Bowl does not always account for that. Notably, the fan vote has a sizable sway on who gets selected. Unfortunately for Sewell, the NFC is fairly stacked at tackle. Of the four All-Pro selections in 2024, each of them were in the NFC: Sewell, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata from the Philadelphia Eagles, and Tristan Wirfs from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Because tackles do not have mainstream counting stats like, say, running backs, the national media can lead to an unjust snub.
  4. Jared Goff: The NFC is surprisingly barren when it comes to elite quarterbacking. Jayden Daniels will look to follow up on a successful rookie campaign,...