Carlos Dunlap Replaces Muhammad Wilkerson at 2016 NFL Pro Bowl

The Cincinnati Bengals announced Thursday that star defensive end Carlos Dunlap was named to the Pro Bowl, replacing injured New York Jets standout Muhammad Wilkerson.

Dunlap registered a career-high 13.5 sacks this season to help the Bengals win the AFC North title. The 26-year-old has made steady progress since arriving in Cincinnati as a 2010 second-round draft pick.

Harrison D. Sanford of Time Warner Cable Sports Channel was among those who believed Dunlap was deserving of an outright Pro Bowl bid before his promotion from first alternate:

This past year also saw Wilkerson reach new heights with personal-best totals of seven passes defensed and 12 sacks. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken leg in a Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills—a loss that prevented the Jets from reaching the playoffs.

Neither Dunlap nor Wilkerson had made the Pro Bowl before, but the latter figures to be squarely in the mix for another bid in the coming years once he recovers from his injury.

It would have been quite the snub if Dunlap weren't allowed to participate in the NFL's showcase of stars, considering his gaudy numbers and his prominent role on an exceptional team. Now he'll join five Bengals teammates for the marquee exhibition.

One of the more underrated pass-rushers in all of football, Dunlap is bound to make a splash on the big stage. The Pro Bowl takes place the weekend before Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, Jan. 31, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.