The NFL announced the five finalists for the Pepsi (have to say it) NFL Rookie of the Year on Friday. They are as follows:
- Cam Newton, quarterback, Carolina Panthers
- Andy Dalton, quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
- Von Miller, linebacker, Denver Broncos
- Patrick Peterson, cornerback/punt returner, Arizona Cardinals
- Aldon Smith, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
There's a certain Washington Redskins linebacker who played every single snap this year, picking up 7.5 sacks and arguably playing better than anyone else on the defense, missing from this list.
But alas, I can't really get mad at Ryan Kerrigan's absence. This was a deep rookie class, and while Kerrigan was excellent, Smith and Miller were better for better teams. A.J. Green of the Bengals is also not on this list, and he probably has a much bigger gripe than Kerrigan.
Whatever. We all know Kerrigan is a stud. I don't need a postseason award to tell me that.
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