The NFL season is wrapped up, but it’s never too early to start looking forward to next year. For 31 of the 32 teams in the NFL, they’re going to be looking ahead to August, when preseason football will start up once more. For the Broncos, they will enjoy their time in the limelight, but also have to look ahead to next season, where they’ll likely be a much different team without the likes of Peyton Manning or a top-tier defense.
There are already a few favorites developing among betting fans for next year, so let’s take a peek at some of the online sportsbook odds and favorites for Super Bowl 51.
Betting Favorites for Super Bowl 51:
The Carolina Panthers: +1000
Cam Newton stated after the Panthers’ loss this past Sunday “we’ll be back”, and it seemed as if he meant it. The Panthers did lose in the Super Bowl, but their entire season was far from a wash. At 17-2 on the season, you can’t complain. The Panthers are a young team as well, and with Kelvin Benjamin back next year, will only look better on the offensive side of the ball. The Panthers are at +1000 right now, and if you’re a betting fan, it’s hard not to hop on those odds.
The Seattle Seahawks: +1000
The Seahawks, perennial Super Bowl favorites, are here once more. They’re not set to lose any big pieces, and they surely disappointed fans this past year after losing to the Panthers in shocking fashion in the second round of the playoffs. Russell Wilson will be back, Seattle’s defense will be back, but Marshawn Lynch has announced that he’s hanging up his cleats. As weird as it is to say, Seattle didn’t need him this year. A hobbled Lynch seemed to limit the Seahawks in ways. With him gone, they’ll have more cap space, and room for young talent to emerge once more.
The Green Bay Packers: +1200
The Packers didn’t seem to be much of a favorite during the postseason this past year, but with Aaron Rodgers, you can never count a team out. The Packers are sure to have plenty of cap space, and could sign a great defensive player if Julius Peppers agrees to a contract change. Jordy Nelson will be back, Randall Cobb will be around, Eddie Lacy is going to be forced to lose weight (apparently), and more. It’s easy to see the Packers coming back to the Super Bowl next year if they look as they have in the past.
The New England Patriots: +1000
The first team on our list in the AFC. Tom Brady and the Patriots struggled to beat the Broncos at Mile High Stadium this past season, but we’re not sure Brady is ready to hang up his cleats yet. The young, emerging offense has everything to prove this year, and their defense is only getting better. This next year, with a (hopefully), healthy Patriots team, the AFC is going to be an interesting conference, and the Patriots’ to lose.
The Pittsburgh Steelers: +1000
It’s strange to see the Steelers at the same odds as the Patriots here, but when you think about it, the Steelers were a great team, even without their star players most of the season. Antonio Brown might be the best wideout in football, Le’Veon Bell might be the best running back in football, and Ben Roethlisberger is definitely a top quarterback in anyone’s eyes. As long as this team can step things up defensively, they’re sure to be a huge contender in the AFC.
The Cincinnati Bengals: +1800
The Bengals are more of a favorite to win the Super Bowl this coming year than the Super Bowl champions of the past season. Although the Bengals started off last year hot, they ended up coming to an abrupt halt later in the year, as various injuries, including one to their star quarterback, Andy Dalton, ended up costing them a lengthy playoff run. A new Bengals team, and a healthy team, is sure to go far just as long as they can play like they did in the first half of 2015. Marvin Lewis is due for a championship run, and this team just might be the one to take him there.
