STALEY, CARR ADDED TO PRO BOWL ROSTERS
Raiders QB, Niners tackle headed to Orlando
San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley and Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr were named to the Pro Bowl team on Monday. Carr, making his third appearance, replaces the Patriots’ Tom Brady. Staley, above, in his sixth appearance, takes the place of Dallas’ Tyron Smith.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and 49ers tackle Joe Staley are headed to the Pro Bowl.
Carr will make his third consecutive appearance, replacing Super Bowl-bound Tom Brady of New England. Staley, the longest-tenured 49er, will make his sixth Pro Bowl as a replacement for Dallas’ Tyron Smith, who is still recovering from a sprained knee.
Carr becomes the Raiders’ fifth Pro Bowl player this year, joining offensive linemen Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson and Donald Penn and defensive end Khalil Mack. He is the third quarterback in franchise history to make three Pro Bowls, matching Ken Stabler and Rich Gannon.
Staley, 33, joins fullback Kyle Juszczyk as the 49ers’ Pro Bowl representatives for the game in Orlando this Sunday.
Carr had quite the underwhelming year after a breakout 2016 as the Raiders finished 6-10. He threw less than twice as many touchdowns (22) as interceptions (13). He looked hesitant to throw downfield at times and hardly posed a threat on the ground. He finished with 3,496 yards, a 62.7 completion percentage and a passer rating of 86.4.
Carr suffered three transverse process fractures in his back during a Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos and returned after missing only one week. He was adamant that his quick return didn’t contribute to struggles later in the season, though newly hired head coach Jon Gruden conceded the injury would be a reasonable justification for those struggles.
Staley overcame a slow start and a broken eye socket to turn in a strong performance in 2017. He allowed four sacks and 21 total pressures all season, according to Pro Football Focus, many of which came early in the year. He battled back from a broken orbital bone to help protect Jimmy Garoppolo, who led the 49ers to five straight wins to end the year.
Following five consecutive trips to the NFL’s all-star game from 2011-15, Staley returns to the Pro Bowl after missing last season.
The 49ers’ other Pro Bowl alternate is running back Carlos Hyde, who would need Rams back Todd Gurley or Saints backs Alvin Kamara or Mark Ingram to bow out to make the team.
In addition to adding Staley, the NFC team will also need to replace Eagles tackle Lane Johnson, who will be playing in a much more important game against the Patriots on Feb. 4 in Minnesota.
Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth was earlier named as an NFC replacement for Washington’s injured Trent Williams.