When it comes to the Super Bowl futures, which were released immediately after last year’s game was played, you can tell which teams the sharps are betting on based on how the odds change over the course of the offseason.
SBD has monitored the Super Bowl 54 odds from the jump and lets viewers easily track which teams’ odds have improved the most since the oddsmakers first set them. In other words, it allows people to infer which teams are being heavily bet on by the sharps at this early stage of the season.
Here’s a quick look at the three teams whose odds have improved the most during the offseason.
Cleveland Browns
• Started at +3167 to win Super Bowl 54. Now at +1333.The Browns are the most-hyped team in the league heading into 2019, and for pretty good reason. Freddie Kitchens takes over as head coach. After he was was promoted to offensive coordinator last year, the team went 5-3 with a much improved offense. He showed instant chemistry with rookie QB Baker Mayfield, who’s expected to make further improvements in his sophomore season.
However, the biggest reason the Browns entered the realm of Super Bowl favorites was the addition of Odell Beckham at wide receiver. The volatile and divisive wideout has unparalleled game-breaking ability and is poised to take this offense to the next level.
Philadelphia Eagles
• Started at +1767. Now at +1400.The Eagles won the Super Bowl just two years ago with their backup QB. There is still talent all over this roster, and GM Howie Roseman added more in the offseason.
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson returns to the Eagles and will bring a ton of speed back to Philadelphia, even at 32 years old. Rookie Miles Sanders out of Penn State should make an immediate impact in what had been a depleted backfield. Big-bodied receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside will be winning jump balls from Week 1.
The Eagles also strengthened an already solid defense with free-agent defensive tackle Malik Jackson. If the other key members of their defensive line can stay healthy, along with Carson Wentz under center, this team could look a lot like the one that rolled to the top seed in the NFC in 2017.
Indianapolis Colts
• Started at +1533. Now at +1200.The Colts didn’t make the biggest signings on the free-agent market, despite having ample cap space. Yet their outlook is still extremely sunny, largely because of how they finished the 2018 season.
Indianapolis started 1-5, and then went 9-1 the rest of the way, grabbing a Wild Card spot in the process.
They weren’t completely silent in the offseason, as well, most notably adding edge rusher Justin Houston. He’s a long way removed from posting an NFL-high 22 sacks back in 2014, but he has recorded 18.5 sacks over the last two years and can still be an impact player off the edge on passing downs.
One of the other main reasons the Colts trended up during the offseason is schedule. The AFC South isn’t as soft as it used to be, but it remains one of the weaker divisions in the NFL. After the 2019 schedule was released, it became apparent that the Colts have a relative advantage over the other three teams in the South. That’s especially true in comparison to their main division rivals, the Houston Texans, who play the toughest schedule in the NFL.
The Colts are right in the middle of the pack in terms of the league, as a whole, but have it the easiest among the four AFC South teams.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
