Pro Football Focus has announced their 2016 All Pro Team and there are six members of the New England Patriots among the listed.
QB Tom Brady leads the All Pro team as the First Team quarterback with PFF’s best rating in their decade of watching games. “Brady didn’t record a bad game all season, and was the model for elite play,” according to PFF, with the Patriots quarterback edging out Falcons QB Matt Ryan and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers fairly comfortably.
CB Malcolm Butler was also named First Team All Pro for his season at cornerback, alongside former Patriots CB Aqib Talib.
“New England’s Malcolm Butler gave up more [production] than Talib did,” PFF writes, “but also broke up a dozen passes and had four picks to his name while maintaining close coverage all year.”
While Brady and Butler were the only Patriots on the First Team unit, there were three players on the Second Team.
RT Marcus Cannon earned praise as the 2nd best right tackle in the NFL, behind Titans rookie Jack Conklin. Cannon separated himself from the pack “thanks to some dominant run blocking.”
FB James Develin was named Second Team behind Ravens FB Kyle Juszczyk; LB Dont’a Hightower was named to the Second Team as a stand-up linebacker, while FS Devin McCourty was Second Team at safety. While Hightower was on the fringe of the All Pro team, McCourty was barely edged out by Ravens safety Eric Weddle.
Congratulations to all six of these Patriots for their excellent 2016 seasons!