The 2020 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, meaning that for the most part teams now know what their rosters will look like entering training camp – if there are training camps. There could still be a few big names on the move via free agency (Cam Newton, for example) or players being released (Andy Dalton). The next major date on the offseason slate is the release of the 2020 schedule, which is likely to be sometime the week of May 4. Then it’s quiet until camps hopefully start later this summer.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
Futures odds generally don’t change too much following the draft because the bad teams are likely to start plenty of rookies, while the good teams for the most part have all their key starters already in place. The Cincinnati Bengals had the first overall pick in the 2020 draft and are +5000 to win the conference this season. Burrow could be Dan Marino as a rookie, but the Bengals aren’t winning the AFC. Just too many holes.
One very interesting team is the New England Patriots at +1000 – they never had such long conference odds since Tom Brady took over as the full-time starter early in the 2001 season. Of course, Brady is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coach Bill Belichick might have had the worst quarterback room in the NFL entering the draft with unproven second-year Jarrett Stidham and veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer.
Yet amazingly, Belichick didn’t select a single quarterback in the draft. The team did sign two undrafted quarterbacks but those guys are always a long shot to make a roster much less start. Newton or Dalton could end up with New England and that would shift the Pats’ futures odds a bit.
Most experts agree that the Baltimore Ravens had one of the best drafts in the NFL and they closed a bit on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the AFC with Baltimore at +325 and Kansas City at +275. The teams will play this regular season in Baltimore with the date obviously TBA.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, who also could be a landing spot for Newton or Dalton, are +6000 AFC long shots. They are ready to go forward with second-year Gardner Minshew II as their starting QB after trading Nick Foles to Chicago in March.
