Who was the Vikings’ biggest Pro Bowl snub?

We learned yesterday that four members of the Minnesota Vikings had been named to this year’s Pro Bowl. They were linebacker Anthony Barr, defensive end Everson Griffen, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and wide receiver Adam Thielen. All four of those men are worthy selections, to be sure. Barr was selected as an alternate, while the other three were voted in as starters.

And yet, there are plenty of reasons to scratch your head when you look at this squad and the guys that didn’t make the initial Pro Bowl roster. Because it would appear that there are several members of this football team that should have gotten the nod in addition to the ones that did. Which snub was the biggest? Well, let’s decide that here.

Harrison Smith, S (NFC safeties: Landon Collins, Michael Jenkins, Earl Thomas)

If the picture didn’t give it away, I think that the Hitman is my personal choice for the biggest Pro Bowl snub not only from the Vikings, but possibly in the entire league. Why? Pretty simple, really.

He’s the best player in the league at his position. Period.

In my mind, Smith is the Vikings’ defensive MVP, because his versatility allows the Vikings to do whatever they want. Smith can play center field, drop down into the box, cover tight ends, blitz from any angle, or whatever else Mike Zimmer and George Edwards ask him to do. Sure, there are plenty of great safeties in the NFL, but are any of them better than Harrison Smith is? I sure don’t think so.

Linval Joseph, DT (NFC interior defenders: Fletcher Cox, Aaron Donald, Gerald McCoy)

Linval has certainly been hungry this year, and he should have been given the opportunity to chow down on another Pro Bowl selection. While Griffen and Danielle Hunter get a lot of the spotlight on the Minnesota defensive line, it’s Joseph’s work on the interior that allows them to do a lot of what they do on the outsides. Joseph spent some time working on his pass rush this offseason, too, and has gotten after the quarterback a little bit more than he has in years past.

Case Keenum, QB (NFC quarterbacks: Drew Brees, Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson)

I’m not really sure if Keenum is a “snub” or anything, given the three guys that made the team ahead of him. Still, with the season he’s had, it would have been nice for him to get some sort of recognition. With the recent injury to Wentz, it’s possible that Keenum could get named to the team as an alternate. You know, if he doesn’t already have plans that week.

(Finds nearest wooden object, hammers away like Woody Woodpecker.)

Eric Kendricks, LB (NFC inside linebackers: Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner)

Kendricks is in sort of the same boat that Keenum is in. Yes, he’s had a great season, but the two guys that were named to his spot on the NFC roster have both really had even greater seasons. Still, like with Keenum, it would have been nice to see Kendricks get some recognition in this manner.

I don’t think there were any other egregious omissions from the Vikings’ roster or anything like that, so we’ll leave it at those four.