The Dallas Cowboys had their 12-5 season ended prematurely in the wild-card round. However, many of their players received individual accolades. Linebacker Micah Parsons, Cornerback Trevon, and Punter Bryan Anger were all selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl. Also, Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb has recently been named an alternate.
Left Tackle Tryon Smith and Right Gaurd Zack Martian were selected as well, and even Quarterback Dak Prescott, like Lamb, was called upon in the alternate role. However, the Cowboys’ top sign-caller and two best offensive linemen have decided to not participate in the Pro Bowl set to take place on February 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Prescott’s reason for missing the Pro Bowl is that he wants to rest after a long year of rehab from his ankle injury in 2020 and having a few injuries this season. He came out guns blazing this season by throwing for at least three touchdowns in five of the Cowboys’ first six games in which they compiled a 5-1 record. However, he suffered a calf injury against the New England Patriots in Week 6 on the last play of the game when he threw the game-winning touchdown in overtime to the aforementioned Lamb which caused him to miss the Cowboys’ next game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Over the last 10 games Prescott played in 2021, he struggled with being consistently accurate and only threw for 300 yards twice. He did, however, break former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s single-season record for touchdown passes with 37, but he’ll have to be better in 2022 than he was down the stretch this season if the Cowboys want to see postseason success anytime soon.
Smith vowed to play in all 17 games this season, but it didn’t work out that way. The four-time All-Pro missed six games in 2021 which was the sixth consecutive year that he’s missed significant time. Smith is still one of the best left tackles in the NFL when he’s healthy, but seeing as that hasn’t happened for quite some time, it may cause the Cowboys to look towards the future in the NFL Draft although he’ll be back with the team.
Martin continued to add to his Hall of Fame resume this season. It was the seventh time in eight years was selected to the Pro Bowl. Also, he was named an All-Pro for the seventh time, with 2021 being his fifth first-team nod. Martin has started all 120 games out of a possible 129 in his career, and it doesn’t look like his dominance as the gold standard for guards in the NFL is going to end for a long time.
