With the Pro Bowl rosters set and the time to evaluate the regular season performances of the players around the league starting, I decided to come up with a roster I think features the NFL’s best players based on what they did this season and who I think give me the best chance to win ball games. On offense I can go with two tight ends, I can go five wide, but also bring in a fullback. On defense I can line up in a 3-4 as well as a 4-3. I can play man, zone, I can blitz a lot of different guys and push the pocket with only four guys rushing.

My roster doesn’t feature guys like Calvin Johnson or A.J. Green, who have missed a couple of games and couldn’t help their teams.

The margin of air between the players on the roster and the ones who just didn’t make it is very slim, but I had to come up with 53 names. So here they are:

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Special Teams:

K Adam Vinatieri

P Pat McAfee

RS Jacoby Jones

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Backups:

C Maurkice Pouncey

G Mike Pouncey

G Zack Martin

T Joe Thomas

T Ryan Clady

TE Greg Olsen

WR Demaryius Thomas

WR Jordy Nelson

WR Dez Bryant

QB Tom Brady

HB DeMarco Murray

HB Marshawn Lynch

DE Mario Williams

DE Calais Campbell

DE Fletcher Cox

DT Ndamukong Suh

DT Haloti Ngata

OLB DeAndre Levy

OLB Terrell Suggs

OLB Elvis Dumervil

OLB Connor Barwin

ILB Bobby Wagner

FS Earl Thomas

FS Harrison Smith

SS Antrell Rolle

CB Vontae Davis

CB Brent Grimes

CB Aquib Talib

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Just missed the cut: C Travis Frederick, G Joel Bitonio, T Trent Williams, T Jason Peters, TE Antonio Gates, TE Travis Kelce, TE Jimmy Graham, WR T.Y. Hilton, WR Golden Tate, WR Odell Beckham Jr., QB Ben Roethlisberger, QB Andrew Luck, DT Sen’Derrick Marks, DT Aaron Donald, DT Dontari Poe, DT Gerald McCoy, DE Robert Quinn, DE DeMarcus Ware, DE Cameron Wake, OLB Tamba Hali, OLB Khalil Mack, OLB Ryan Kerrigan, OLB Lavonte David, ILB Mychal Kendricks, ILB D’Qwell Jackson, ILB Chris Borland, FS Malcolm Jenkins, SS Kam Chancellor, SS T.J. Ward, CB Perrish Cox, CB Chris Harris, RS Adam Jones