Reshad Jones is named to the Pro Bowl for the Miami Dolphins. The only initial selection for the Dolphins when the Pro Bowl rosters were revealed.
The Pro Bowl would be the all-star game of the NFL if it were not physically played I doubt fans would miss anything. The title of actually being selected is fantastic. It’s the second time in three seasons that Jones has been selected to the Pro Bowl. If Jones were selected and given a check at season end, it would not bother me.
Back after missing the last ten games of the 2016 season, Jones led the Dolphins in initial tackles with 122. Jones finished with two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and one and a half sacks.
Jones scored the fourth and fifth touchdowns of his career with a 38-yard fumble return in the 16-10 victory against Tennessee on Oct. 8 and a 14-yard fumble return in the game against New England at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 26. Miami finished the season 6-10 overall and 3rd in the AFC East division.
“I would like to make the playoffs and do bigger things. But you have to deal with the cards that have been dealt, “ Jones stated. “I have to continue to do what I have been doing taking care of my body. Come out lead this and try help this team win football games.”
Jones’ selection extends Miami’s streak to 20 consecutive seasons with a defensive player selected to the Pro Bowl. It began in 1998 when defensive tackle Tim Bowens was selected.
Miami has had at least one representative in the Pro Bowl in all but two seasons of the team’s 50-year history. The only seasons when the Dolphins did not have a Pro Bowl representative were 1980 and 1997. This season Miami has dealt with issues off the field, but discipline has been the issue on the gridiron.
Dolphins’ wide receiver Jarvis Landry recently has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl team as an alternate joining Jones. I mentioned discipline issues; Landry was one of three players fined in a fourth-quarter melee against the Buffalo Bills in the last game of the season, with the Miami Dolphins receiver being forced to pay up $48,620.
As a repeat offender, Landry’s fine was higher compared to the other two. The receiver was fined $48,618 a year ago for grabbing his crotch and spiking his helmet during a touchdown celebration.
Dolphins players have cleaned out their respective lockers, year one under head coach Adam Gase was a stepping stone into this season but this season ended up being a step back. Penalties cost the team countless games.
“The last game was about as embarrassing as I have seen in a long time,” Gase stated. “It is something we can not have happen. We need better control from our best players in the heat of the moment. ”
Landry, who led the NFL with 112 receptions in 2017, will be replacing Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who has withdrawn from the game due to injury. Landry is one of eight Dolphins wide receivers to be named to the Pro Bowl and just the fourth to earn the honor three times. He joins Mark Clayton (1984-86) as the only Dolphins receivers to be selected to three consecutive Pro Bowls.
Will Landry remain in Dolphins uniform after the Pro Bowl?
He is on the verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent unless the Dolphins place the franchise or transition tag on him this spring. I expect them to do. Moreover, they will do what they can to keep him. What will that take?
Miami went 6-10 as a team with Landry, how do they look without him? How do you replace one of the top three players on the team?
Landry earned less than $900,000 in base salary last season; he is screaming “show me the money” expecting to be paid like a top-10 receiver in the NFL, which would require a salary in the $13-14 million per year range. A trip to the Pro Bowler for the third consecutive season helps him push more chips on the table.
Photo/twitter/ReshadJones
Photo/twitter/JarvisLandry
