Aldon Smith may have been absent from the online ballot fans were using for the Pro Bowl, but coaches and players will have an opportunity to vote for the 49ers rookie this week.
The fan-voting portion ended Monday. The online portion of that process only listed starting players at their respective positions. Parys Haralson is the starter at right outside linebacker for the 49ers and Smith replaces him in passing situations. Coaches and players begin Pro Bowl voting today, and that group can vote for anyone on the active roster. Each group - fans, players, coaches - count a third toward the final tally. The results will be announced on Tuesday.
Smith quickly has become the 49ers' most dangerous pass rusher, and he had perhaps his best game on national television. The Condor sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger 2 ½ times on Monday. Another sack was wiped away because of a penalty. He leads all rookies in sacks and is within reach of Jevon Kearse's rookie sack record - 14 ½ -- set in 1999.
Additionally, Smith is listed on the ballot as a defensive end, which is the position he mostly plays. (The 49ers go with four linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs in passing situations). Smith will have to compete with Minnesota's Jared Allen, St. Louis' Chris Long, Chicago's Julius Peppers and New York's Jason Pierre-Paul at defensive end.
No 49ers were among the top 10 vote getters overall at the close of fan voting Monday. However, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Andy Lee were the top vote getters in the NFC at their respective positions. Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby was ahead of David Akers despite the fact that Akers is two kicks shy of an NFL record for field goals in a season. Those four 49ers, in my opinion, are shoo-ins for the Pro Bowl.
I think Ted Ginn is deserving as a KR/PR but may be bumped by Arizona's Patrick Peterson. If Vernon Davis didn't make the Pro Bowl last year, he will have an even more difficult time this year with the emergence of New Orleans' Jimmy Graham. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman has an outside shot, but the Pro Bowl lineup is a 4-3 defense, meaning it has only one middle linebacker. Cornerback Carlos Rogers, safety Dashon Goldson, tackle Joe Staley and guard Mike Iupati have chances to make their first trip to the Pro Bowl. Blake Costanzo is a great candidate for the special teams spot.
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Lee today was named one the NFC Players of the Week for his performance against the Steelers. He averaged 47.5 yards on his six punts, four of which pinned Pittsburgh inside its 20-yard line. Lee's net average of 44.1 yards leads the league.
-- Matt Barrows
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