The Denver Broncos have not had the 2022 season they were expecting to have. They have already been eliminated from playoff contention, and their 4-10 record is a far cry from the playoff team they were expected to be entering the season. That resulted in just one Broncos player (Patrick Surtain II) being selected to the Pro Bowl this season.

The Broncos have struggled all season long, as their offense, which has a shiny new quarterback in Russell Wilson, has simply had no success when it comes to putting together scoring drives. Denver's defense has been really good, but it hasn't mattered because the offense is almost never putting points on the board.

Still, for Denver to only have one player selected to the Pro Bowl feels a bit wrong, as their defense has been so good all season long that it feels like they deserve more recognition. Let's run through three Broncos players who were snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting, and see why they deserved to earn a spot on the roster.

3. Josey Jewell

After playing in just two games in the 2021 season, Josey Jewell has returned in 2022 and proven that he hasn't lost a step after barely playing the season before. Jewell has been a maniac this season, and if he didn't miss four games early on in the season, he likely would have had a real case for earning a spot on the AFC's Pro Bowl roster.

Even in his ten games played, Jewell has a case to earn a Pro Bowl spot. He's racked up 106 tackles in those ten games, which means he's been averaging 10.6 tackles per game, which is an absurd number. Jewell has also racked up 2.5 sacks, seven tackles for a loss, and a pair of fumbles forced and interceptions. Simply put, he's been everywhere at the center of Denver's defense.

The Broncos defense is powered by their two tackling machines (Alex Singleton also has 124 on the season already) but Jewell has made a much bigger all-around impact despite playing four fewer games than Singleton. Jewell's case obviously goes down a notch because of his four missed games, but it's tough to overlook how good he's been this season.

2. Dre'Mont Jones

Dre'Mont Jones has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, but he's still in the middle of putting together the best season of his career. With Bradley Chubb getting traded to the Miami Dolphins, Jones has quietly stepped up to fill his absence, and he's helped the Broncos defense continue to stifle their opponents despite the fact that they lost one of the top pass rushers in the game.

Jones is playing a lot more in 2022 after being used primarily as a pass rusher early on in his career, and he's put up some strong numbers as a result. Jones is leading the Broncos with 6.5 sacks on the season, while also picking up 47 tackles, nine of which have gone for a loss, ten quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.

Jones' ability to make a bigger impact on the run game has allowed him to stay on the field more and continue to make winning plays for the Broncos. It's tough to say he should replace anyone on the AFC roster, but it's clear he's been a star on the Broncos defense, and you can make a case he deserved to get in on the first vote. Either way, there's still a decent chance that Jones will be able to make it in as a replacement player.

1. Justin Simmons

Justin Simmons has been the anchor of the Broncos secondary for several seasons now, and it feels like he would have certainly earned his second Pro Bowl selection had he been able to stay healthy this season. Similar to Jewell, Simmons' campaign has been hurt by the fact that he's missed five games this season, because he likely would have made the team had he played in those five games.

When Simmons has been on the field, he's been playing some of the best football of his career. Simmons has racked up 49 tackles, while recording five interceptions for the third straight season as well. He's also defended six passes, and forced a fumble, while recovering a fumble as well. For Simmons, this is pretty much business as usual despite the fact that it is very impressive.

Again, replacing someone for Simmons is tough because he simply hasn't been on the field as much as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derwin James, or Jordan Poyer, the three safeties who made the AFC roster. Simmons has had a great season, and as long as he's able to stay on the field and continue playing at a high level, he should be one of the first replacement players for the AFC.