Some Early NFL Odds for the 2021 Season
This free agency period was full of action. Whether it was teams like the Buccaneers who brought back the talented core they won the Super Bowl with, or the New England Patriots who spent more money on free agents than they ever did in the Brady era. This part of the NFL offseason gives us a better picture of what this upcoming season will look like heading into the draft and as we creep closer to the start of the 2021 NFL Season in August. These odds are obviously suspect to change but here are some to keep an eye on before week 1 in September.
Atlanta Falcons +1100 to win the NFC South
Atlanta didn’t make any big moves in free agency, but they were able to add some players on low-risk contracts like tight end Lee Smith, linebacker James Copeland, and safety Erik Harris. The bottom line here is that the Falcons still have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. Matt Ryan’s career in Atlanta is in more doubt than it ever has been. The Falcons still scored 24.8 points per game last season which was still the middle of the pack even though Julio Jones only played just 9 of those contests. With the retirement of Drew Brees, the NFC South is likely going to be neck and neck till the end of the season. Any prediction that goes against Tom Brady and his incredible streak of making the postseason might seem laughable. But, a year of film on Tom Brady in the Bruce Arians offense should give the Falcons and Panthers a much better shot to surprise the league and steal this division. I’m going to roll with the veteran quarterback who will be playing for his legacy in Atlanta.
Minnesota Vikings +500 to win the NFC North
The Vikings offense is one of the most underrated units in the National Football League. Last year Head Coach Mike Zimmer publicly bashed his defense when it failed to give him a chance to make the postseason. They added two impact players on that side of the ball during free agency in defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and cornerback Patrick Peterson. When it comes to both of these additions leadership is a quality that first comes to mind. Tomlinson last year was a part of one of the best defensive lines in football that rallied around the performance of himself and Leonard Williams. Peterson has been the guy for as long as most can remember when you think of the Arizona Cardinals defense. Now he gets to mentor a young Minnesota secondary in chase of another playoff push. Kirk Cousins is already 33 years old, with such a talented supporting cast on offense he probably doesn’t have much time left in the Twin Cities if things go south in 2021. The ending to the Green Bay Packers season in 2020 gives me worries about the connection between A-Rod and the front office. Who knows if Green Bay struggles early the Vikings superstar weapons and veteran staff may give them a shot to win this division.
New York Giants +500 to win NFC East
The Giants spent the third most guaranteed money in free agency thus far. Even though it came a bit late throughout the process they were able to sign both Kenny Golladay and Adoree Jackson, filling two huge needs that many thought would be addressed in the draft. Heading to East Rutherford with Golladay and Jackson are two other offensive weapons in John Ross and Kyle Rudolph. They also added Danny Shelton the former Patriot and Lion to replace Tomlinson on the defensive front. The Giants were just a couple of points and a few dropped passes away from hosting a playoff game in 2020. General Manager Dave Gettleman and Owner John Mara gave all Daniel Jones could ask for this offseason. Now after having a successful free agency that gives them a lot of freedom in the draft, things are looking brighter in New York than they have since 2016. There are so many questions still to be answered regarding the teams in the NFC East, if Daniel Jones answers the bell the Giants will have a chance to win their first division title since 2011.
Baker Mayfield +4000 to win MVP
Okay, hear me out… The Browns were gaining momentum until their run ended in Kansas City last season. They were able to keep it close and almost had a shot to steal the game at the end. It is hard to make the case that the Browns will be worse in 2021. The question of if Baker Mayfield is the right guy or not has pretty much disappeared. They will get a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. back who missed half the season last year due to a torn ACL and they’ll welcome in two new members of the secondary in John Johnson III and Troy Hill. This team has one of the best rosters in football. If the Browns can stay healthy and keep Baker Mayfield protected there is no ceiling for this team heading into 2021. The fact that Justin Herbert, Carson Wentz, and Ryan Tannehill all have better odds to capture the MVP crown is unbelievable to me. Keep an eye out for Baker this season as he continues to not only grow as a player but as a leader and the face of the franchise in Cleveland.
Writer
-By: Sam Kirk