The countdown for the NFL season has begun with the NFL Draft having passed. There are plenty of angles to dive into the upcoming season, and still some notable offseason roster moves to occur.
With the futures market beginning to be established on DraftKings Sportbook, here are my first picks for next year’s Super Bowl and conference championships.
Super Bowl Champion: Eagles (+650)
There have only been nine instances in NFL history in which a team has repeated as Super Bowl champions. I am backing the Eagles to be the 10th team. They’re the favorite at +650 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Eagles have plenty of qualities that differentiate them from the teams that have come up short in attempting to defend their title. The organization has done a nice job keeping continuity with most of its main stars by being proactive in handing out extensions before players reach the open market. This has been effective in keeping costs controlled and keeping their key players happy. Saquon Barkley has been the latest beneficiary of this method by receiving a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension this offseason. It both gives Barkley a raise and the Eagles some financial flexibility. Barkley raised the offensive ceiling of the team in a major way and is set to be around for the long haul.
In addition, Jalen Hurts is just now coming into his prime and will be turning 27 ahead of next season. He likely won’t be content with just one Super Bowl ring. He quickly got back to work and added layers to his game this offseason. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will continue to deliver as his primary weapons and hold a case for one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
Defensively, the Eagles made a surprising decision to trade away C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but addressed this need in the draft and prioritized re-signing Zack Baun. Their youthful defensive line will continue to improve, and Philadelphia has added more depth across this unit. Both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean proved to be key parts of the defensive unit and will be ready to scale up their role following the loss of Darius Slay.
Nick Sirianni deserves his flowers for leading this Eagles team to the Super Bowl. But he does not hold the same level of security that typically comes with this accomplishment. He was on the hot seat as recently as the midpoint of last season and will be hungry to continue proving people wrong. Vic Fangio returns to the staff as defensive coordinator, but the team will be with their fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons. Kevin Patullo, an internal hire, takes over this role after Kellen Moore became the Saints head coach.
The road to repeating is difficult, and Philadelphia will need to start from square one once again this year. But between a youthful core and a hungry veterans, the Eagles have a legitimate shot. I have fewer doubts about the Eagles’ roster compared to the rest of the NFC and am taking a chance on them to make history. I am also backing Philadelphia to win the conference at +300 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
To Win the AFC: Cincinnati Bengals (+900)
Looking at the odds in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills are each tied for the favorites at +350 odds. Each of these teams have a fair case to win the conference, but I am backing the Bengals to reach the Super Bowl as they did in 2022.
It was a nightmare season for the Bengals last year, who started the year 0-3 and were never able to bounce back. They finished the season 9-8 but did not qualify for the playoffs, even after closing the year on a five-game winning streak.
One positive to emerge amid the frustrating season was Joe Burrow taking his game to even greater heights. He led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and 43 passing touchdowns. Burrow was open about how frustrating the season was for him, and I expect him to be leading this team with urgency right from the start of the season.
When looking at why the season went wrong, the clear answer is defense. Cincinnati finished the year ranked 25th in points and yards allowed while ranking 29th in passing touchdowns conceded and 30th in first downs given up. There is still some work to do with the roster, but the Bengals added Oren Burks, who played a valuable role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, as well as DL Cam Sample, DL T.J. Slaton, CB Marco Wilson and LB Joe Giles-Harris in free agency. They also selected edge rusher Shemar Stewart with the 17th overall pick and added a pair of linebackers later in the draft.
Even while sorting through last year’s problems, most of their defensive issues felt more scheme-based than personnel. There were solid players on that Bengals roster who underwhelmed throughout the year and were not put in the best position to win. The Bengals made a change by hiring Al Golden as defensive coordinator.
The AFC will be competitive, but getting +900 odds for Cincinnati feels like great value. The gap between the Bengals and the three teams listed ahead of them is not as large as this price indicates. It feels as if the Bengals are a bit of a sleeping giant in the AFC that is set to awaken this year. They were a few plays away from their season being drastically different, and they would have been taken seriously as a contender if they had qualified for the postseason. Expect a focused effort from Burrow and the rest of the Bengals right from the start of the year. I like his chances of taking this team to the Super Bowl just as he did four seasons ago.
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