Pro Bowl Snub-O-Meter: Kyle Fuller

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 31: Kyle Fuller CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 31: Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears participates in warm-ups before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 31: Kyle Fuller CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 31: Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears participates in warm-ups before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns

Was Kyle Fuller a Pro Bowl snub? We examine.

Kyle Fuller has been, without question, the most pleasant surprise on the Chicago Bears this season. Coming into the year, the Bears did not have plans for Fuller to start. They thought Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara would handle starting outside and that Fuller would push Bryce Callahan for slot duties in Nickel packages.

But Fuller made positive impacts when he was on the field and quickly unseated Marcus Cooper as the man who would be lining up outside on the league’s top wide outs.

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First off, Fuller won’t be helped by his PFF grade, where he currently sits at 27th among NFC cornerbacks, and is behind both Amukamara and Callahan. Luckily, like we’ve seen at other positions, the Pro Bowl selections don’t always lineup with PFF grades.

Four CBs make each conference roster. Marshon Lattimore and Xavier Rhodes have been phenomenal this season and were easy choices. Darius Slay is leading the NFL with 20 passes defended and 7 interceptions. When you lead the NFL in both those categories, it’s a safe bet you’ll find your way to the Pro Bowl.

The last selection was Patrick Peterson. Peterson has a Pro Bowl reputation, but does he have the performance in 2017 to back it up? Peterson has 29 tackles, 8 passes defended, and 1 interception. Fuller’s numbers are far superior to that. He has 66 tackles, which is among the best at the CB position and he also has 16 passes defended which is good for second in the NFL.

If Fuller had just 3 INTs (he only has one), that would be good enough for 5th among NFC CBs and might pop him further up in the discussion. But the fact is, when you’ve only tallied 1 INT, it’s hard to make the Pro Bowl on a 4-10 team. Peterson’s Arizona Cardinals are almost as awful, but he has the reputation and past years that will help him on the roster.

Fuller is much closer to being a Pro Bowler than many realize. However, his PFF grade is lower because Fuller still has some inconsistencies. He’s a shutdown corner at times, but does go through stretches where he allows too many open receivers. If his coverage was a little more consistent and he had a bit better nose for intercepting the football, Fuller would have earned Pro Bowl honors this season.

If Fuller improves a little more next season, he could find himself on the Pro Bowl as early as 13 months from now. But this season, an argument can be made, but it’s not quite time for kicking and screaming.

Pro Bowl Snub-O-Meter- TOASTY

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