Admin April 28, 2024
Quarterback Drake Maye talks all things NFL Draft
Drake Maye stopped by ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft to talk about his excitement and how Courtyard by Marriott helped bring his family and friends out to celebrate.
The 2024 NFL Draft is officially behind us. Although there is still four months before the start of the NFL season, fans have already begun looking ahead, trying to figure out which teams, if anyone, did enough to get over the hump and steal the Lombardi Trophy from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs‘ clutches.
These rookies will not get an opportunity to prove capable of thrusting their squads into Super Bowl contention for quite some time. Still, many experts and analysts are detailing which teams had the best drafts just 24 hours after every pick has been made, and in turn, explaining which teams should get a boost in the upcoming season.
Here is where every team ranks based on their Super Bowl 59 odds after the draft. All odds via DraftKings.
NFL draft grades: Bears, Steelers lead best team classes as Cowboys stumble
Super Bowl 59 odds:
The favorites:
- Kansas City Chiefs (+550)
- San Francisco 49ers (+600)
- Baltimore Ravens (+900)
- Detroit Lions (+1200)
- Buffalo Bills (+1200)
- Cincinnati Bengals (+1300)
Everyone knows that the path to the Super Bowl in the AFC runs through Patrick Mahomes. Well, looking at these odds, if you’re looking for some bang for your buck, why not bet on the only guy who has actually beaten Mahomes in the playoffs?
Many people may be underselling the Cincinnati Bengals because of their lackluster season last year. Despite Joe Burrow being hurt for nearly half the season and Tee Higgins having the worst year of his young career, the team still finished above .500 and just one game out of the playoffs.
The offensive line was obviously the biggest area of concern for this team, so they used their first-round pick to bring in Amarius Mims. The defensive line was a problem, so they brought in Kris Jenkins with their second-round pick. This team very quietly addressed several of their issues and should be mostly healthy by the start of the regular season. Sure, they’re in a crowded division, but they’re the only team in the AFC North proven capable of reaching the Super Bowl.
The Contenders:
- Houston Texans (+1600)
- Philadelphia Eagles (+1700)
- Dallas Cowboys (+1700)
- Green Bay Packers (+1900)
- New York Jets (+2000)
- Miami Dolphins (+2200)
- Atlanta Falcons (+2200)
- Los Angeles Chargers (+3000)
- Chicago Bears (+3000)
- Los Angeles Rams (+3500)
This tier almost entirely consists of teams that could boom or bust based on how certain dominoes fall. The Jets could be great, so long as Aaron Rodgers is healthy. The Dolphins are explosive, so long as Tua Tagovailoa stays healthy. The Chicago Bears have a loaded offense, if Caleb Williams adjusts to the NFL as experts anticipate.
Another team that stands out is the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, they had a horrendous draft by most metrics and did not address their most pressing concerns in the first round. Despite all that though, you can’t deny that they improved this offseason. They upgraded at quarterback, found a head coach that doesn’t feel the need to prove he’s smarter than everyone else (hopefully), and added some depth weapons like Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore to their team.
Are they as talented as teams like the San Francisco 49ers or Dallas Cowboys? Not even close, but they are in one of the worst divisions in football. Once the playoffs roll around, anything can happen.
The Dark Horses:
- Cleveland Browns (+4000)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (+4500)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+5000)
- Indianapolis Colts (+6000)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7500)
- Seattle Seahawks (+7500)
- New Orleans Saints (+8000)
- Minnesota Vikings (+8000)
The team that stands out most on this list is undoubtedly the Indianapolis Colts. Keep in mind, Anthony Richardson was a frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year before his injury. Now, he returns with Adonai Mitchell as a weapon? That could be dangerous.
Yes, there are concerns about Mitchell’s character, but even if Mitchell winds up being a non-factor (which seems unlikely), this is still a team that finished one game out of the playoffs despite having Gardner Minshew start for 13 games. Oh, and the team didn’t even spend a first-round pick on Mitchell. They also added Laiatu Latu to solidify their defensive line.
The longshots:
- Washington Commanders (+10000)
- Arizona Cardinals (+10000)
- New York Giants (+10000)
- Las Vegas Raiders (+10000)
- Denver Broncos (+12000)
- Tennessee Titans (+15000)
- New England Patriots (+15000)
- Carolina Panthers (+25000)
Call me crazy. Call me nuts, or call me a prophet. I don’t care which, but of every team with +10000 odds or higher, the Carolina Panthers may be the team to bet on. Should you bet on any of these teams to win the Super Bowl? Absolutely not. That’s (probably) as good as throwing your money away. However, the Panthers play in the worst division in football, added some decent receivers to their locker room with Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette, added a running back via the draft in Jonathan Brooks, and still have a former No. 1 overall pick at quarterback.
Obviously, any hope the Panthers would have of reaching the playoffs and eventually the Super Bowl hinges on massive development from quarterback Bryce Young. If he can develop though, perhaps this team could make some noise in the NFC South. Their passing defense was actually quite solid last year. They didn’t have much luck in the turnover department, but that should balance itself out moving forward. Their biggest problem was against the run, where despite surrendering just 4.1 yards per carry, they allowed 25 rushing touchdowns on the season (most in the NFL). Despite losing star pass rusher Brian Burns, the team still has A’Shawn Robinson, Shaq Thompson, Derrick Brown, and newly acquired Jadeveon Clowney to shore up that defensive line. There are certainly a lot of problems, but there is potential for this team to exceed expectations. Does that mean they’ll win the Super Bowl though? Probably not.
When does the 2024-25 NFL season start?
The 2024-25 NFL preseason begins the week of August 9, with the regular season kicking off with Thursday Night Football on September 5, 2024. The opponents in that matchup have yet to be determined.
NFL draft winners, losers: Bears puzzle with punter pick on Day 3
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