New York Giants Saquon Barkley, Dexter Lawrence named to Pro Bowl Games

For Barkley, this is his second Pro Bowl; For Lawrence, this is a first

Running back Saquon Barkley and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants have been selected to the rosters for the upcoming Pro Bowl Games.

This is the second selection for Barkley, who has been named as a starter. Barkley was a Pro Bowler in 2018, his outstanding rookie season.

This is the first Pro Bowl selection for Lawrence, who has been named as a reserve.

Barkley was asked Wednesday afternoon, before the selections were announced, what it would mean to make the Pro Bowl.

“What would it mean making the Pro Bowl?” he said. “I can’t sit here and be like, ‘Oh, it wouldn’t mean anything,’ because that’s part of the fans. The fans vote and give you an opportunity to get in there and also coaches and players vote. So, it just shows a respect of your peers and the respect of the fans out there. So, I’ll just be more thankful, show more gratitude to those people, because the only way you get in is because of that. Obviously, it’s determined with the play that you do on the football field, but I’ll just be more thankful and show gratitude to the people that voted me in.”

Barkley is fourth in the NFL with 1,170 rushing yards and sixth with 1,464 yards from scrimmage. Each figure is the second-highest of his career. Barkley leads the Giants in rushing yards, receptions (47) and touchdowns (nine).

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Lawrence has a team-best and career-high 6.5 sacks, just 3.5 fewer than he had in his first three seasons combined. He is third on the team and first among the defensive linemen with 57 tackles (26 solo). Lawrence’s 24 quarterback hits are 13 more than team runner-up Kayvon Thibodeaux. He has five tackles for loss, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

This will be the first year of a new format for the Pro Bowl.

The traditional Pro Bowl game has been replaced by a weeklong skills competition and flag football game. The new event has been renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcasing their skills over several days in Las Vegas.

The flag football game will be played there in Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 5, one week before Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.

Four Giants are alternates to the Pro Bowl: placekicker Graham Gano (second alternate), tackle Andrew Thomas and center Jon Feliciano (both third alternates), and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (fourth).

Thomas, the fourth-highest graded offensive tackle in football this season per Pro Football Focus, is likely the one Giant who could be considered a Pro Bowl snub.