Selecting the 2022 NFL All-Pro Teams: Offense
This is the second year I’ve published All-Pro teams on Sports Talk with Sam Teets
The Associated Press (AP) votes for the official NFL All-Pro teams annually, but the voters frequently select name-brand and legacy candidates over more deserving options. I agreed with many of their selections this year but wanted to make a few changes. Today, we’ll cover my First and Second Team All-Pros on offense and some honorable mentions.
This is the second year I’ve published All-Pro teams on Sports Talk with Sam Teets. You can view last year’s offensive selections and defensive selections here.
2022 NFL All-Pro Offensive Selections
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Honorable Mention: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills/Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Mahomes should win the MVP this season. Hurts was the only player within reach of the former Super Bowl champion before missing two games at the end of the year. There’s already a surprising amount of voter fatigue around Mahomes, but people need to accept that he’ll be in these award discussions for possibly the next six to seven years.
While Mahomes’ 2022 season didn’t eclipse his prior MVP campaign in 2018, the former tenth overall pick still led the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and set the record for total yards in a season with 5,614. Keep in mind, he achieved all of this in his first year without Tyreek Hill.
The second quarterback spot was wide open. I went through drafts of my ballot where I had all three possible options slotted into the Second Team spot but ultimately decided to go with Hurts. Philadelphia’s offense looked uninspired and turnover-prone without the Oklahoma product in the lineup. Plus, he was in the MVP discussion for longer than Allen or Burrow.
I wouldn’t be upset about either Allen or Burrow earning Second Team honors. Besides two games against the Steelers, Burrow was the league’s second-best quarterback in 2022.
Allen generated 42 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards of total offense despite the no-contest game against Cincinnati. However, he was more turnover-prone than in his previous All-Pro season.
Running Back: Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
Second Team: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
Honorable Mention: Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
Additional Running Backs: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey
Henry led the NFL in rushing attempts with 349, but Jacobs finished with a league-leading 1,653 rushing yards. Henry (1,538) and Chubb (1,525) were the only other running backs to amass more than 1,320 rushing yards, but they both trailed Jacobs by triple-digits. The Raiders running back also led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,053), followed by Henry (1,936), McCaffrey (1,880), Justin Jefferson (1,833), and Chubb (1,764).
It's worth discussing including Henry or McCaffrey on the All-Pro teams ahead of Chubb, but the fifth-year pro runs with a level of efficiency that other players can’t match. He’s never averaged under five yards per carry in a season.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Chubb finished second among running backs in forced missed tackles as a rusher with 83. Jacobs led all running backs with 90, and no other back had more than 69 (Henry). Chubb led the NFL in runs of ten or more yards with 47, followed by Jacobs (41) and Henry (37). Those three backs also amassed more than 1,000 rushing yards after contact. No other running back had more than 850.
Tight End: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Honorable Mention: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens/ T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
This is an open-and-shut case. Kelce finished third in the NFL in receptions (110), eighth in receiving yards (1,338), and second in receiving touchdowns (12). Hockenson (914) was the only other tight end with more than 900 yards. Kittle was the only other player at his position to hit double-digit touchdowns (11), and he did it with three different primary starting quarterbacks.
Andrews arguably doesn’t even deserve an honorable mention spot this season, but he still produced at a similar level to Hockenson and Kittle despite catching passes from two starting quarterbacks (Anthony Brown and Tyler Huntley) who finished the year with more interceptions than passing touchdowns.
Wide Receiver: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Second Team: A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Honorable Mention: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
For a while, Jefferson had a shot to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yardage record. He ultimately fell short against two NFC North rivals down the stretch but still finished the year leading the NFL with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards. Jefferson amassed 4,825 receiving yards in his first 50 NFL games (three seasons) to accompany three All-Pro selections.
Brown was a dominant addition for Philadelphia over the offseason. He helped unlock Hurts’ vertical passing game and brought DeVonta Smith along for the ride. Brown earned significant consideration for a First Team spot, but his 1,496 yards (fourth-best) and 11 touchdowns (tied for third) fell just short of top honors.
It came down to Waddle vs. CeeDee Lamb for the final spot on the Second Team. Waddle finished seventh in the NFL in receiving yards and led the league (among qualified players) with 18.1 yards per reception. Unfortunately, he failed to hit 60 yards in four of his last six games while Lamb strung together a dominant three-week stretch from Weeks 15-17.
Wide Receiver: Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Second Team: Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
Honorable Mention: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Hill earned some Offensive Player of the Year buzz earlier this season. Jefferson pulled away from his Miami counterpart in the second half of the season, but Hill still finished second in receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,710) despite not having his preferred starting quarterback for multiple games.
Diggs earns All-Pro honors for the second time in his three-year stint with the Bills. The 29-year-old and Davante Adams were the only players to amass 100 receptions, 1,400 receiving yards, and double-digit touchdowns this season. Diggs finished fourth in receptions (108), fifth in yards (1,429), and tied for third in touchdowns (11).
Chase would’ve earned First or Second Team honors if not for missing five games. His 87.2 receiving yards per game ranked seventh among qualified players, and that’s including Cooper Kupp (90.2). Despite missing a significant chunk of the year, Chase tallied 87 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns. That translates to 123 receptions for 1,481 yards and 12 touchdowns in a 17-game season.
Wide Receiver: Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
Second Team: CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Honorable Mention: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
As previously mentioned, Adams and Diggs were the only players with slash lines of 100/1,400/10 or better. This season didn’t turn out like the Raiders hoped, but it marked Adams’ third consecutive First Team selection. He finished ninth in receptions (100), third in receiving yards (1,516), and first in touchdowns (14). Per PFF, Adams was one of five receivers to generate more than 500 yards after the catch (YAC).
Over the past three years, Adams caught 338 passes for 4,443 yards and 43 touchdowns. Barring an injury or unexpected retirement, next year he’ll become the 53rd player in league history to tally more than 10,000 receiving yards.
Lamb narrowly beat out Brown and Waddle for his Second Team selection. Dallas’ leading receiver survived five games with Cooper Rush at the helm before seeing his numbers take off in the season’s second half. He recorded 100 or more yards in five of his last nine games. Lamb finished tied for fifth in receptions (107), sixth in receiving yards (1,359), and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (nine).
Brown came close to earning an All-Pro selection. He put together four 100-yard games and finished seventh in the league with 106 receptions. PFF credited the USC product with the third-most yards after the catch (544) of any wide receiver in 2022.
Left Tackle: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Second Team: Andrew Thomas, New York Giants
Honorable Mention: Laremy Tunsil, Houston Texans
Picking two left tackles was the most challenging task when putting together the All-Pro offensive line because three deserved recognition this year. Williams is still a dominant force despite being 34 years old. The former fourth overall pick joined the 49ers in 2020 after taking a year off from football, and he’s arguably on a Hall of Fame path since returning to the field.
Thomas was awful as a rookie, but he’s done a full 180 over the past two years. Also a former fourth overall pick, Thomas cut his allowed pressure rate from 9.27% in 2020 to 3.48% in 2021 to 3.39% in 2022. This was his first year playing more than 1,000 offensive snaps, and he only committed one or two penalties (depending on what website you check).
Tunsil took a while to reach the heights evaluators anticipated he would when the Ole Miss product entered the 2016 NFL Draft. Now, he’s developed into arguably the league’s best pass blocking tackle. He only allowed pressure on 2.51% of his pass blocking snaps in 2022. However, Tunsil committed double-digit penalties and didn’t offer as much displacement in the run game as Thomas and Williams.
Left Guard: Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns
Second Team: Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs
Honorable Mention: Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Bitonio’s Hall of Fame case grew stronger this year when the AP selected him as a First Team All-Pro for the second consecutive year. He’s earned All-Pro honors in five straight seasons. I agree with the AP on this one. Bitonio was arguably a top-three guard this season and stood atop a weak left guard class.
Bitonio allowed one sack in 2022. He’s never held defenders to zero sacks in a year, but he’s allowed one sack five times. Bitonio’s 20 pressures surrendered were the most he allowed since 2017, but he also set a career-high in offensive snaps played. Even in a year where Wyatt Teller and Jedrick Wills struggled, Bitonio led the charge for Cleveland’s top-eight rushing attack.
Thuney remains one of, if not the best, pass blocking guards in the NFL. He allowed under 20 pressures for the fourth consecutive season while significantly cutting down on his penalties. Thuney allowed one sack and pressure on 2.22% of his pass blocking snaps, up slightly from 1.99% in 2021.
Nelson isn’t the dominant, Hall of Fame-caliber player he was a few years ago, but he still flashes the high-end reps and technique that made him a four-time All-Pro. The Colts finding more answers along the offensive line could boost Nelson in future seasons, but I’m not sure if what he lost to injuries is ever coming back.
Center: Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Second Team: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
Honorable Mention: Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
Humphrey deserved First Team honors last year over Kelce but failed to earn any All-Pro recognition from the AP. Typical. There’s a good case for Humphrey to finish with the top spot this year too, but Kelce deserves the nod. In a year where Jordan Mailata took a step back, Kelce and Lane Johnson were nearly immaculate for Philadelphia.
Kelce’s movement skills and ability to generate power despite his smaller stature are two reasons why he’s earned five First Team All-Pro selections in the past six seasons. This late-career surge has the former sixth round pick sitting on the doorstep of Canton.
Like Kelce, Humphrey didn’t allow a sack all season. He’s another player who entered the league with some power and arm length concerns. Humphrey allowed a sack and 28 pressures on roughly 2,300 snaps through his first two NFL seasons. That’s with Mahomes dancing around and keeping plays alive for five or more seconds. If Kelce retires after this season, Humphrey will take over his spot as the league’s top center.
Right Guard: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Second Team: Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Honorable Mention: Michael Onwenu, New England Patriots
This is the closest I get to a legacy pick on offense. Martin is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer who puts up teach-tape weekly. However, there are good arguments for Lindstrom capturing the First Team selection.
This past year was far from the best of Martin’s career, but he was still one of two right guards to allow zero sacks while playing more than 400 offensive snaps at the position (per PFF). Strangely enough, the other was Pittsburgh’s James Daniels. Martin remained steady throughout 2023 as Dallas gave snaps to Josh Ball, Jason Peters, Tyron Smith, and Terence Steele next to him at right tackle.
Martin allowed fewer than 20 pressures for the seventh time in his career and committed fewer than four penalties for the seventh or eighth time (depending on what website you check).
Lindstrom had a breakout season in Atlanta’s run-heavy offense. He played more than 1,000 offensive snaps for the third consecutive year, but this was his first time in that stretch allowing fewer than 25 pressures. Lindstrom only gave up nine pressures and a career-best 1.74% pressure rate. That mark sat at 4.01% in 2020 and 4.69% in 2021.
Similar to Martin, Lindstrom rarely commits penalties. He’s only drawn six or seven flags in his career.
Onwenu went through a weird phase as a semi-bench/rotational player last year, which never made any sense to outside observers. The former sixth round pick is one of the league’s best right guards.
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Second Team: Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Honorable Mention: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
Per PFF, Johnson was the only right tackle to play more than 300 snaps at the position while not allowing a sack. Left tackles David Bakhtiari and D.J. Humphries were the only other tackles to play more than 300 snaps without allowing a sack, and neither of the former Pro Bowlers played 600 snaps. In comparison, Johnson played between 950 and 1,000 offensive snaps.
Johnson allowed pressure on 1.63% of his snaps in pass protection. He allowed no sacks or quarterback hits during the regular season. Playing with Jalen Hurts helped Johnson achieve that statistical feat, but his tape this year was about as good as it gets.
The Second Team slot was a close race. Sewell and Wirfs were the clear-cut top candidates, but Kaleb McGary and Morgan Moses also had noteworthy years in their run-heavy schemes. Wirfs, who only played 13 games, barely got the better of Sewell.
It’s worth noting that Sewell played on an offense that had more success running the ball. He also didn’t have the luxury of Tom Brady’s masterful pocket manipulation. However, Sewell played on one of the most talented lines in the NFL while Tampa Bay’s front battled through significant injuries to starters.
Wirfs allowed pressure on fewer than one percent of his reps in pass protection, while Sewell allowed pressure on 4.22% of his snaps in pass pro (nearly 30 total pressures).