Top 5 New England Patriots Pro Bowl Candidates

The New England Patriots received zero Pro Bowl nods following the 2023 season. If that trend continues in 2024, it will mark the first time since 1974 and 1975 that the Patriots were shut out of the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons. It is a very real possibility.

Pro Bowl teams are meant to represent the best players in the league. However, there is no magic formula to determine who those players are. Some get chosen by reputation, making it easier for players to return for multiple appearances after getting picked for the honor. Other Pro Bowl players benefit from playing on excellent teams. Neither of these criteria benefit the current crop of Patriots players.

New England’s roster features only one player who has previously made a Pro Bowl appearance. Tight end Austin Hooper was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2018, 2019) as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots 7-23 record over the past two seasons prevents them from getting the boost of playing on a contending team.

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The Patriots don’t have any locks to be selected for the Pro Bowl after this season. The early fan voting found only one New England player, punter Bryce Baringer, in the top ten at their respective position. But there are some players with a chance.

Here are the Top 5 New England Patriots with a chance to be chosen for the Pro Bowl this season. Note: This is based on chances to make the original roster, not as a replacement player.

5. Joe Cardona, Long Snapper

The longest-tenured player on the active roster has enjoyed a solid season for the Patriots. There are New England players not listed who might be having better all-around seasons than Cardona. Keion White is one player enjoying a solid season, but the AFC is loaded with top-end defensive ends, giving White virtually no shot this season.

Cardona is more well-known than many long snappers. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion. He won the NFL’s Salute to Service Award at the NFL Honors ceremony last season. Cardona recorded four tackles in 2023, his highest total since 2017.

Working against Cardona is competition from two other long snappers in the AFC. Morgan Cox of the Titans is a five-time Pro Bowl selection, most recently in 2022. Last season’s AFC long snapper was the Jaguars’ Ross Matiscik. Both are having solid seasons in 2024, as are Mitchell Fraboni of the Broncos and Jacob Bobenmoyer of the Raiders. This makes Joe Cardona’s odds of being a first-time Pro Bowl selection no greater than 10%, though that is enough to rank fifth on this year’s Patriots squad.

4. Hunter Henry, Tight End

A nine-year veteran, Hunter Henry is on pace to set personal bests in receptions and receiving yards. He is among the NFL’s top six tight ends in both categories. Henry’s numbers, he’s on pace for 76 receptions and 798 yards. Only two tight ends in the past ten years have reached those totals and not been selected to the Pro Bowl.

Unfortunately for Henry, the crop of AFC tight ends is excellent this season. Two players look like locks to earn spots: Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Las Vegas rookie Brock Bowers. That leaves one spot left with several worthy candidates, including Henry.

The two players battling for that final spot with Henry are Miami’s Jonnu Smith (his former New England teammate) and Cleveland’s David Njoku. While all have similar numbers for receptions, Smith has the most receiving yards, and both players have more touchdowns than Henry, who only has one. Njoku earned a spot in the Pro Bowl last season, which gives him a slight edge. For Henry to have a viable case, Drake Maye targeting him in the end zone in the coming weeks would help his cause. Otherwise, he’ll likely find himself a top alternate for the event.

3. Christian Gonzalez, Cornerback

After looking great to begin his rookie campaign in 2023, Gonzalez’s season ended after four games with a torn labrum. New England hoped their young corner would return as good as when he left. Based on his 2024 season to date, Christian Gonzalez improved.

Gonzalez routinely lines up against some of the NFL’s top receivers and holds them far below their expected production. When New England kept Gonzalez isolated to a portion of the field against the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Matthew Stafford picked apart the Patriots’ defense. Only Jacksonville rookie Brian Thomas Jr. can boast of getting the best of Gonzalez in a head-to-head matchup this season.

While Gonzalez’s play warrants serious Pro Bowl consideration, there is stiff competition from players who have big reputations, past Pro Bowl selections, or play for contending teams. Four cornerbacks will be chosen, and four AFC cornerbacks return from last season’s Pro Bowl: Sauce Gardner (Jets), Marlon Humphrey (Ravens), Jalen Ramsey (Dolphins), and Pat Surtain II (Broncos). Furthermore, players such as Trent McDuffie (Chiefs), Kenny Moore II (Colts), D.J. Reed (Jets), Tarheeb Still (Chargers), and Denzel Ward (Browns) are enjoying solid seasons of their own.

Christian Gonzalez is easily a top-ten cornerback in the AFC this season. Will voters determine he’s one of the best four? With no prior selections and playing for a non-contender, it might be an uphill fight regardless of worthiness.

2. Marcus Jones, Return Specialist

The NFL All-Pro teams pick a kick returner and a punt returner. For the Pro Bowl, only one “return specialist” is chosen. This could hurt Marcus Jones’ chances. If only a punt return specialist was chosen, Jones’ candidacy would improve. He leads the NFL in yards per punt return among all players with at least ten returns (Jones averages 15.2 yards on 26 punt returns). The only aspect working against him is having no touchdown returns yet, something five other NFL players have done this season, including two in the AFC.

As a rookie in 2022, Marcus Jones earned first-team All-Pro honors despite not being picked for the Pro Bowl.

If versatility to handle both kickoff and punt returns is favored among Pro Bowl voters, a player like Derius Davis of the Chargers could be the choice. But if Marcus Jones continues to make big plays in the return game, especially if he can take one the distance, he will be tough to overlook.

1. Brenden Schooler, Special Teams

No NFL player has more special teams tackles since Brenden Schooler entered the NFL in 2022. It could be argued he deserved the honor a year ago. But in addition to the Patriots 4-13 record, Schooler had two other factors working against him last season.

Schooler committed four penalties a year ago. This year, he has zero through 13 games. The presence of Matthew Slater hurt Brenden Schooler as well, despite helping his development as a special teams ace.

Arguably the greatest special teams player in NFL history, Matthew Slater made ten Pro Bowl teams. It is an NFL record for special teamers. Slater’s impeccable reputation likely caused some voters to think of him as New England’s best special teams player, even after Brenden Schooler had surpassed him. With Slater having retired, Schooler is unquestionably the Patriots’ primary player in special teams coverage.

Pro Football Focus grades Schooler as the AFC’s best special teams player this season (90.7). In addition to seven tackles, he has a blocked punt. He’s also boosted his overall resume with a pair of sacks at safety, despite playing only ten defensive snaps all season. Last year’s AFC selection was Miles Killebrew of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Killebrew led special teams players in voting after the first count. But despite earning the honor a season ago, his performance has dipped in 2024. His PFF grade dropped from 90.0 in 2023 to 59.5 this year.

Will the New England Patriots get shut out of the Pro Bowl again this season? There is still some work to do for all candidates, but it appears special teams are the most likely route for them to end the team’s drought at one.