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The 2023 Pro Bowl is around the corner, and the stage is set for what promises to be a fun showcase. There are new formats around the NFL All-Star game, and each format could be appreciated.
Here we will be previewing one of the hottest matchups of the weekend, a battle of starting quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence is starting for the AFC, while Kirk Cousins is starting for the NFC. Let's look at the two starting QBs for the 2023 Pro Bowl game!
The Starting Quarterbacks in the 2023 Pro Bowl
Trevor Lawrence, AFC Conference
The AFC Conference will be led by Trevor Lawrence, a replacement for initial starter Patrick Mahomes, who will be unavailable for this Pro Bowl due to Super Bowl commitments. Trevor Lawrence will be taking his place, and the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback is richly deserving of his first Super Bowl appearance at the 2023 Pro Bowl.
Lawrence was the first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft and was touted as the best quarterback draft pick since Eli Manning in the 90s. His rookie season didn't go as planned, as the Jacksonville Jaguars were a complete dumpster fire. The Jaguars finished with the worst record in the league, and the less we say about Urban Meyer, the better.
Thankfully, Lawrence's sophomore season was way better than his rookie year, and the Clemson University alum showed the world why he was rated so highly. He was instrumental in getting the Jaguars to the playoffs, where they won the Wildcard Game, pushing the Kansas City Chiefs to the brink of elimination in the Divisional Round.
He finished the 2022 regular season with 4,113 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a 54.6 QBR.
Kirk Cousins, NFC
Jalen Hurts, the initially selected starter for the 2023 Pro Bowl starter for the NFC Conference, is on Super Bowl duties. He will, unfortunately, miss out on his first Pro Bowl selection. However, he is likely to be replaced by Kirk Cousins, who isn't a bad replacement.
Kirk Cousins will play in his fourth Pro Bowl game, but it will be the first time he has been chosen as an outright starter. The reason being, he was an alternate selection in his previous three trips to the Pro Bowl. Cousins will be slinging passes to Justin Jefferson, who earned a couple of NFL MVP votes.
This season has been a career year for Cousins, as he showed that he's more than just a system quarterback. The Minnesota Vikings shot caller led the team to the playoffs because of solid leadership and clutch play in the pocket. They might not have gone past the wildcard game, but their performances in the 2022 regular season were good.
Kirk Cousins has put up a stat line of 4,547 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 49.9 QBR. He regularly feeds Justin Jefferson with the ball, and that premium service has earned the teammates a trip to an improved Pro Bowl game.
