Our predictions for Falcons Pro Bowlers next season

Ricardo Allen the newcomer with Julio Jones, Deion Jones, and Matt Ryan

It’s a safe bet that we see some common names pop up in the Pro Bowl in 2019. Julio and Deion are nearly locks if healthy, and I expect Ryan to get more credit if he plays exactly the same with a better run game. The new name? It feels like a lifetime ago when Allen was the guy who got cut on Hard Knocks. Thanks to a change in position (thanks to a change in the coaching staff), Allen has broken out into unquestionably one of the top, young defensive backs in the league. He probably should have made the Pro Bowl in 2017. In fact, his 2018 injury may show the league exactly how valuable he is for the Falcons, especially if he bounces back to form in 2019. - Matt Chambers

Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Jake Matthews, Alex Mack, Deion Jones, Keanu Neal

That’s a long list, no? Certainly longer than this year’s, and based on the stars on this roster and the fact that I fully expect/hope the Falcons will be better in 2019 than they were in 2018, a key component for Pro Bowl berths. Julio and Mack are givens, Matthews is getting the exposure he needs to return, Debo and Neal are great, highlight-reel defenders who should do great things with health, and Ryan just needs to win to get the kind of consideration he couldn’t command this year. Let’s hope. - Dave Choate

Ryan, Julio, Matthews, Mack, Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, Austin Hooper, and Grady Jarrett

While I’m not necessarily saying that all of these players make the Pro Bowl, I think this is the list of possible candidates in 2019. Ryan and Julio should be shoe-ins, but who knows. Now that Matthews is starting to get the name recognition, I think he should be a regular attendee as well. The questions marks surround guys like Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, Austin Hooper, and Grady Jarrett. If Jones and Neal are healthy again, and Quinn coaches this defense like we all think he can, I think they’ll both turn it great seasons. Jarrett is a player that should be in the Pro Bowl, but he doesn’t have the name recognition of guys like Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Hooper managed to get in this year with a good season, and I think he could replicate it. - Kevin Knight

Ryan, Freeman, Julio, Mack, Jarrett, Neal, Debo

I think the Falcons three offensive stars (Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, Julio Jones) will all be first-vote Pro Bowl talents, as will perennial center Alex Mack. Dirk Koetter is going to work wonders with the Mattural and the Jet, and watch out for Freeman’s comeback season. On defense, the three best players all earn first-ballot nods. Guys like Jake Matthews, Austin Hooper and Takk McKinley (who could make the jump in his junior season) very well could as alternates like the former two did this year, and I’ll throw a fun name out there for you: Calvin Ridley. If he explodes onto the scene under Koetter in 2019, watch out for his profile to blossom around the league and be a strong alternate in his sophomore season. - Cory Woodroof

Ryan, Julio, Matthews, Debo, Neal

The hiring of Dirk Koetter will hopefully provide results that favor the veteran in Matt Ryan. If Ryan is able to reach his realm of familiarity with Koetter that he once had, it will definitely benefit Ryan as well as his main target, Julio Jones. I can very well see Jones having another season of 1,400+ receiving yards and probably double-digit touchdowns. That will happen as a result of more attention being placed on fellow teammate Calvin Ridley (ironically). It appears as if Jake Matthews is truly turning the corner as one of the better left tackles in all of football and that upward progression will pay dividends in 2019. As far as Deion Jones and Keanu Neal, it was quite obvious that their lack of presence on the defense was a major factor. Which will likely result in a boost of determination for both as they re-establish themselves as young playmakers. - Eric Robinson