Okung and Unger named Pro Bowl starters; three other Seahawks also named to NFC team

The Seahawks will send at least five players to Hawaii (well, unless they made the Super Bowl, that is), with Russell Okung, Max Unger ,Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas and Leon Washington all being named to the NFC Pro Bowl squad.

Okung and Unger are both starters, Lynch is the No. 2 running back behind Adrian Peterson, Thomas is the backup free safety behind San Francisco's Dashon Goldson and Washington was named to the squad as a kick returner.

Considering the Seahawks had nobody in the Pro Bowl in 2009 and 2010, sending at least five players to the game is quite a feat, yet what is almost as notable is who didn't make the team, most notably cornerback Richard Sherman, who may end up ineligible if he loses his appeal of a four-game suspension, but as of the voting was available, yet was somehow left off despite being regarded by many as the best cover corner in the league. Following their win over San Francisco, the Seahawks have the league's No. 1 scoring defense, yet Thomas is the only Pro Bowl representative off that defense.

Eight more Seahawks were named Pro Bowl alternates, though who those eight are has not yet been released. Between injuries and players who can't play in the Pro Bowl because their teams are in the Super Bowl, it is normal for several alternates to end up on the squad when all is said and done. So if the Seahawks don't make it to New Orleans, the could well end up with a few more Pro Bowlers than the five already named to the team.