The dust had barely settled on what was a remarkable Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, California in February and teams got busy preparing for the next season. The 2022 NFL campaign begins in September and the Green Bay Packers have been quickly getting their house in order. They moved swiftly to tie down star player Aaron Rodgers on a contract extension that will keep him at the club for at least another year.
The Packers’ determination to push that deal through is understandable after Rodgers was voted the NFL’s Most Valuable Player last month. That was the second time in a row he has picked up that award and his employers hope he is preparing to win the trifecta before retiring. The top online sports betting apps are already offering odds on the Green Bay quarterback becoming MVP for a third season on the bounce and that market has attracted plenty of attention.
Rodgers is closing on Manning
Rodgers had initially moved to assure fans he would remain at the club for the 18th season but had denied reports that he was on the verge of signing a new contract. That encouraged the gossip columns to speculate that his future lay away from Green Bay with some even reporting interest in the player from the Denver Broncos. Thankfully for fans of the Packers, there proved to be little, if any, truth in that story and Aaron settled the nerves when finally putting pen to paper on a new deal.
If reports are to be believed regarding the numbers, it’s no surprise Rodgers signed, with the three-year contract said to be worth around $150M which would make him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. The security and financial aspect of that deal make perfect sense for a player aged 38 years old and fast-approaching retirement. It now looks likely that Aaron will finish up his playing days at the Packers before hanging up the cleats on what has been an illustrious career.
The 2021 season was one to remember for Rodgers. His employers made the playoffs, and he cleaned up during the regular season, recording the highest passer ratings, driving the Packers into the much sought after position as the top seed in the NFC Conference. The stats show just three QBs threw more touchdown passes than Rodgers and his tally of 37 came with a mere four interceptions.
Those numbers ensured Aaron was the first player of his position to collect back-to-back MVP titles since Peyton Manning did it in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Manning set himself out as the man to beat for MVP awards after collecting a record five in his career but Rodgers is only one away from that mark, having also taken the award in 2011 and 2014.
Buffalo the team to beat
Will the contract extension signed by Rodgers help Green Bay to Super Bowl glory next February? The leading online sportsbooks have had their say, and they struggle to write the Packers off. The general idea in the betting industry at present is that Green Bay are one of the early favourites to win the Super Bowl but currently sit fourth in line. That means the odds-makers believe they have a strong chance and the Packers winning the title wouldn’t be the biggest upset ever seen in sport, but there are three other teams they’d rather have on their side.
The outright betting favourite to win the Super Bowl in 2023 is the Buffalo Bills and that stance is shared by most bookies. But it’s a competitive market with plenty of value around and the traders aren’t locked in on their pick. Buffalo sits just ahead of second favorites the Kansas City Chiefs with the Los Angeles Rams the only other team ranked higher than the Packers. The odds and order of the betting are likely to change throughout the summer as teams make trades and strengthen their squads.
The earlier you bet on the Super Bowl winner through a legal and licensed online bookie, the better deal you should receive. Some firms even offer new players a welcome bonus free bet on the NFL season.
