Five Colts players were named alternates for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games Wednesday night, making them candidates to replace players who drop out of the Pro Bowl in the coming weeks. Those players:
Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner: Buckner enters Week 16 with 6 1/2 sacks, 17 quarterback hits and eight tackles for a loss. His 44 total pressures rank 10th among interior defensive linemen this season.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin: Franklin's 140 tackles rank 4th in the NFL, and he's added four pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and nine tackles for a loss while commanding Gus Bradley's defense as its Mike linebacker. With three games left, Franklin has a chance to set a franchise record for most tackles in a season – he's 24 shy of surpassing Shaquille Leonard's mark of 163 set in 2018.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore: Gilmore's 79.8 Pro Football Focus coverage grade is seventh among cornerbacks, and despite being targeted the ninth-most times (80) of any player in the NFL he's held opposing quarterbacks to just a 79.2 passer rating when throwing his way. Gilmore has two interceptions and nine pass break-ups heading into Week 16.
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue: Last month, Ngakoue became only the fifth player in NFL history – along with Aaron Donald, Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware and Reggie White – to have at least eight or more sacks in each of their first seven seasons. Ngakoue enters the final three games of 2022 with 9 1/2 sacks, one half-sack shy of his third season with double digit sacks.
Running back Jonathan Taylor: Taylor carried 192 times for 861 yards with four touchdowns while gritting through ankle injuries, the last of which led him to be placed on season-ending injured reserve this week.
Left guard Quenton Nelson was named a 2023 Pro Bowler on Wednesday night.
