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2009 NFL All-Pro Team, Awards
By Peter King
January 4, 2009
WR Vincent Jackson, San Diego.
He's very slightly more consistent and just as game-breaking as Andre Johnson.
LT Joe Thomas, Cleveland.
Lost in the badness, Thomas is a powerful drive-blocker and deft pass-blocker.
LG Logan Mankins, New England.
Terrific all-around tactician and power-blocker.
C Nick Mangold, Jets.
Rapidly becoming the Cadillac of centers.
RG Jahri Evans, New Orleans.
Sean Payton can fill your notebook about Evans almost as enthusiastically as he can about Drew Brees.
RT Vernon Carey, Miami.
Good idea by the Dolphins in not forcing him on the left side and allowing him to find a home here.
TE (tie) Dallas Clark, Indianapolis; Antonio Gates, San Diego.
Love 'em both, because their Pro Bowl quarterbacks would be lost without them. Seriously.
WR Wes Welker, New England.
Very tough to leave Reggie Wayne off this team, but it'd be tougher for me to leave the best slot receiver of this era off too. Welker led the NFL with 123 catches despite playing, in effect, 13 games with the early season-ending injury Sunday in Houston.
QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis.
While leading the Colts to 14-0, he had his most accurate season ever, and second-most productive in yardage and touchdowns.
RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee.
This year, he added some toughness to his electricity, as well as the sixth 2,000-yard rushing season ever.
FB Lousaka Polite, Miami.
Not many teams use a pure fullback much anymore, and no team has as physical a blocker as Polite.
