Just in time to provide some controversy ahead of the NFL playoffs, the Associated Press has released the 2023 All-Pro 1st & 2nd team lists.
The 2023 version of this list features nine Dallas Cowboys, with four making 1st team and five landing on the 2nd team.
All-Pro 1st Team:
- WR CeeDee Lamb
- RG Zack Martin
- CB DaRon Bland
- K Brandon Aubrey
All-Pro 2nd Team:
- QB Dak Prescott
- LT Tyron Smith
- LG Tyler Smith
- EDGE Micah Parsons
- P Bryan Anger
Who Was Properly Placed?
All of the players voted in are worthy of a spot, but I want to focus on the top three who I believe are most deserving of the praise.
WR CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb is listed as the second wide receiver out of three that are voted in behind Miami's Tyreek Hill and ahead of Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Lamb is definitely deserving of his first All-Pro nod, having finished the season as the NFL leader in the following categories:
- Targets (179)
- Receptions (135)
- Total touchdowns for a wide receiver (14)
There are many more categories where Lamb is 2nd or 3rd, and most of them are just behind Hill or St. Brown.
Questions arose this offseason about Lamb being able to step into a top role in the offense.
The season started slow for him, but he finished it with a bang and those questions have been answered with a resounding YES.
CB DaRon Bland
DaRon Bland was expected to be a third option behind Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore to start the season.
For the first two games that expectation came to fruition.
Bland was relegated to slot duty, where he snagged five interceptions in his rookie year to lead the team.
Unfortunately, an ACL tear in practice prior to a Week 3 matchup in Arizona sidelined Diggs for the season and thrust Bland into a starting role on the boundary.
He responded with one of the best seasons by a cornerback in NFL history, recording nine interceptions and returning an NFL-record five of them for touchdowns.
K Brandon Aubrey
Special Teams Coach Jon Fassel made a decision early in training camp to cut veteran Tristan Vizcaino in favor of rookie and former MLS 1st round pick Brandon Aubrey.
That might have been the best coaching decision of the year for the Dallas Cowboys as Aubrey earned 1st team All-Pro in his first opportunity.
Aubrey broke NFL and franchise records on his way to a near-perfect season, falling just short of perfect in Week 18 at Washington.
A blocked kick ruined the party, but Aubrey would then miss later in the game from 36 yards, only to cap off his season with a successful attempt from 50 yards away.
Aubrey's best game and likely the game that pushed voters to take him over 2nd team All-Pro K Jake Elliott from Philadelphia was the game versus the Eagles.
He hit field goals from 60, 59, and 52 yards to show his range and accuracy.
Who Got Snubbed?
While I agree the Cowboys are well-represented on this list, I do think there are a couple of players who made it that deserved 1st team recognition, and one player who I can't believe didn't make it at all.
Dak Prescott
This is Dak Prescott's first All-Pro nod in his eight-year career, but it still feels just short of right.
Lamar Jackson of Baltimore was awarded 1st team All-Pro by an absurd margin of 45 votes to Dak's two (Brock Purdy also received two votes), and that doesn't sit well with me.
Prescott was the better quarterback in nearly every stat and metric that matters.
Take a look at these areas where Prescott bested Jackson this season (stats taken from PFF.com):
- Completion percentage, 69.5% to 67.0%
- Passing yards, 4,519 to 3,678
- Passing touchdowns, 36 to 24
- TD/INT ratio, 4:1 to 3.4:1
- Big time throws (ball location in tight windows), 38 to 24
- Passer Rating, 105.9 to 102.5
I can understand Jackson beating out Prescott for NFL MVP because of his added rushing value, but determining the best QUARTERBACK in the NFL is different.
The voters got it wrong.
Micah Parsons
The voters ruined what we all thought was a given: Micah Parsons notching his third straight 1st team All-Pro nod.
I know exactly what happened.
The voters were blinded solely by sack totals but completely ignored the overall impact of the game.
Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt are elite players who offensive coordinators must account for on every play.
Their sack totals won them 1st team, but only Garrett is in the same stratosphere at Parsons when it comes to pressure rate and double-team rate.
Here are Micah's ranks compared to the rest of the field (stats taken from PFF.com):
- Pass rush grade (93.7), 2nd to Garrett (94.8); Watt (91.7)
- Pressures (103), 1st
- Hurries (69), 1st
- Pass rush win percentage (24.7), 2nd to Garrett (27.5); Watt (16.9)
Parsons deserved his third straight 1st team All-Pro award, but hopefully receiving 2nd team will be another motivator for the playoff run.
DeMarcus Lawrence
Cowboys' 10-year veteran DeMarcus Lawrence has never received an All-Pro distinction on his resume.
This year was arguably the best season of his career, but still did not earn the distinction.
I believe this is for the same reason that Parsons was snubbed for 1st team All-Pro.
He just doesn't have the sack numbers, and sacks for a defensive end are the premium stat to earning accolades.
Lawrence excels in the run game, and that's exactly where Dallas needs him.
Here are his rush defense stats, again provided by PFF.com:
- Overall run defense grade (92.4), 2nd to Maxx Crosby (92.7)
- Stop percentage (% of tackles resulting in a loss) 25%, 1st among qualified players
Lawrence has been a menace defending the run this season, a will be a precious commodity for Dallas in the playoffs.
