Bookmaker's Corner: NFL Futures & Super Bowl Odds After the Draft
by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager - 4/28/2010
The Washington Redskins made the largest leap this offseason, according to their updated odds to win the Super Bowl at Bodog’s online sportsbook.
After a disastrous 4-12 season, the ‘Skins opened the offseason as 50/1 long shots to win it all come early 2011. Those odds now stand at 25/1 thanks in large part to the additions of quarterback Donovan McNabb and offensive tackle Trent Williams.
Football fans already know what McNabb can do, but the Redskins expect big things right away from their top draft pick, Williams, who was taken fourth overall last Thursday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
“I felt we just had a great draft,” said new head coach Mike Shanahan, who’s another reason for optimism in DC. “Obviously, we didn’t have a lot of picks, but when you take a look at it, when you take a look at our first-rounder, in Trent Williams, we felt like we got that offensive tackle that we needed. Very experienced. We feel like he’s got a big upside, and I think he’ll help us for years to come.”
It’s important to remember that Washington finished with the 10th-ranked defense in the regular season; it was the offense that really struggled. The Redskins averaged just 16.6 points per game, 26th out of 32 teams.
Another team that’s improved its odds to win Super Bowl XLV, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, is the New York Jets, down from 25/1 to 12/1.
The Jets nearly pulled off the storybook season last year, and they’ve made a number of moves since being eliminated by the Colts in the AFC title game. New additions via signing include LaDaininan Tomlinson and Jason Taylor, though there are certainly questions as to whether or not the game has passed those two by. Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie were also acquired in trades, and both of those players should help.
Other offseason winners, according to the bettors and odds makers at least, include the 49ers and the Dolphins, both of whom are down from 45/1 to 30/1. I should probably note that San Francisco received a number of NFL futures bets at Bodog, and that’s the big reason why we moved them. Risk management, pure and simple.
The biggest loser this offseason should come as no surprise to those who’ve followed the Ben Roethlisberger soap opera. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who also lost the aforementioned Holmes, opened the offseason with 11/1 odds to win Super Bowl XLV. That number now stands at 18/1 and I could easily see it going higher.
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