At this midseason point in the 2018 season, you might be wondering how some of your Dallas Cowboys are faring in the races for NFL awards and Pro Bowl spots. I thought we’d take a moment today to assess their positioning now and what some could do the rest of the way to improve it.
Before we get to the contenders, though, let’s just take a moment to eliminate some from the discussion. While there may still be half a season to go, some of these awards are clearly out of reach for our team.
For example, the awards for MVP and Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year aren’t going to any Cowboys in 2018. Even Ezekiel Elliott is trailing behind Todd Gurley at his own position, and those offensive awards usually go to quarterbacks anyway.
On defense, we have a lot of solid performers but nobody who’s really standing out. DeMarcus Lawrence hasn’t had the same high volume sacks of this year, and he was probably our only shot at the DPOY award.
Two years after being the Coach of the Year, Jason Garrett is hardly in the running now. Some thought he might win the “First Coach Fired” award a few weeks ago, but the Browns settled that one earlier this week.
And unlike last season, when Jaylon Smith had a great case to be the Comeback Player of the Year, no Dallas players really have that story in 2018.
But enough with the negative.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: LB Leighton Vander Esch
He isn’t the front-runner right now; that would be Colts rookie LB Darius Leonard. But Leighton is in the hunt for this award with his strong player so far in 2018.
Leonard had been more of a playmaker, adding four sacks and three forced fumbles to his high total of 88 tackles. He’s one of the best linebackers in the NFL right now, rookie or otherwise.
If Darius were to get injured or have some other drop in production, though, Leighton isn’t too far behind. He has 54 tackles currently and has been praised more than once for his presence in the middle of the field. He’s been able to fill in the shoes of Sean Lee surprisingly well.
But Lee is coming back now, and that may be a deterrent to LVE’s chances at the award. Less time on the field means less chances to make plays.
What’s more, Darius Leonard is far from the only competition. Safeties Derwin James (Chargers) and Jessie Bates (Bengals), cornerback Denzel Ward (Browns), and LB Tremaine Edmunds (Bills) are also putting up strong numbers in starting roles.
So no, Leighton isn’t probably getting this award. But at least he’s in the conversation, which is more than most Cowboys can say this year.
Pro Bowlers: Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith, Zack Martin
DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, Brett Maher
Last year, only five Cowboys made it to the Pro Bowl. This season could be even less based on the current numbers.
Some guys have little to fear. Ezekiel Elliott should return this season, missing last year’s Pro Bowl only thanks to Roger Goodell’s shenanigans. Even though he’s almost 200 yards behind Todd Gurley in rushing, Zeke is still the second-highest in the NFC and the league as a whole.
Zack Martin and Tyron Smith will probably get their annual invites. Cowboys offensive linemen have always had an edge in Pro Bowl voting thanks to the size of the fanbase. But if the team really tanks the rest of the way, that could change.
Even though he’s not as hot as last year, DeMarcus Lawrence is still in the mix for the Pro Bowl. His 5.5 sacks this season is sixth-best among NFC players right now. There are generally six spots for defensive linemen on the team.
Even though he’s been great this year, Byron Jones will need some interceptions to get the votes among other cornerbacks. His reputation isn’t strong to make it without the stats, but if he gets some picks soon then he could be in the conversation.
Lastly, Brett Maher isn’t unreasonable to make it as the NFC kicker. Along with the strength of the Cowboys fans voting for him, his 16-of-18 is a strong number thus far. Only Mason Crosby (Packers) and Aldrick Rosas (Giants) have made more field goals in the conference.
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It shouldn’t be a surprise that a team with a 3-4 record isn’t looking too good right now for end-of-year accolades. And of course, we care way more about the wins and losses than any of these awards.
But as fans of the team, we always like to see our players’ names in lights. Hopefully, more Cowboys step up the rest of this season both for their own recognition and the good of the team.
