Super Bowl 2012: 3 Players Who Most Deserve a Ring This Year

Every NFL postseason, you hear about veteran players who have been around forever but don't yet have a Super Bowl ring for one of their fingers. In recent years, we've seen Michael Strahan, Drew Brees and Charles Woodson all accomplish the Super Bowl dream in such a way.

While the final four of the 2012 playoffs has two teams that have won Super Bowls in the past eight years, there are still a good number of players that qualify as Strahan types.

Let's take a look at the top three guys who deserve a Super Bowl ring in 2012: 

49ers DL Justin Smith

Some think that Smith has played at a high enough level in 2011 to be considered among the top candidates for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. It'd be hard to argue that opinion with the way that both Smith (7.5 sacks) and the 49ers defense as a whole have played this season.

Truth is, Smith has been an impact defender for the better part of his 11 seasons in the NFL. 

Ravens S Ed Reed

I think most assume that Reed has a Super Bowl because he's been tied with Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense for so long. However, Reed came two seasons after Baltimore's 2001 win in the Super Bowl.

Owner of 57 interceptions and six touchdowns, Reed has been an eight-time NFL All-Pro and three-time NFL interception leader. He may deserve a Super Bowl ring more than anyone on this list.  

49ers LB Patrick Willis

The leader of the 49ers defense is this generation's Ray Lewis. Willis has been in the league just five years, but during that time, he's been a Pro Bowler in each season and a first-team All-Pro in four. Lewis won a Super Bowl in his fifth season in the NFL, why can't Willis?