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With the 2024 NFL season in the rearview mirror and the ink barely dry on its many
storylines, the bookies are already peering into the crystal ball and examining what may
transpire next season. Their early odds have already been published for all to see, but
that’s even though most teams are still amid their close-season dealings.
The Cincinnati Bengals have made the biggest waves thus far in securing the futures of
superstar receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while Aaron Rodgers is on the
lookout for one final home following his ill-fated run with the Jets. As well as that,
University of Florida standout Cam Ward looks to be on the brink of being selected first
overall in the upcoming draft and is set to embark on the task of rejuvenating the hopes
of the lowly Tennessee Titans.
While those aforementioned stars are in the headlines right now, once the 2025
campaign gets underway in September, a plethora of different sensations could well be
under the spotlight. Which of them will shine, and which of them will falter? Here are the players that the bookies think will impress more than any other next season, perhaps even managing to claim the coveted MVP award.
Josh Allen
Buffalo’s Josh Allen is coming off another stellar year that cemented his place among
the elite, finally claiming the MVP award that he has certainly deserved after his exploits
in recent years. Over 20 games last term, the former University of Wyoming sensation
racked up 4,367 yards in the air, including 32 touchdowns. But that’s not all; his dual-
threat ability was on full display as the 28-year-old piled up a further 636 yards and 14
scores on the ground.
But while Allen has shone in the stats lists before, last season was arguably his finest
on the field. He led his beloved Bills to a stellar 13-4 regular season record last term. He
was almost single-handedly responsible for the stunning victory against the Chiefs on
week 11, Kansas City’s first of the season. But when the two met again under the
brightest lights at Arrowhead, it was Patrick Mahomes and Co. who came out on top
once again.
Next season, online football betting sites make Allen the joint favorite to claim the MVP
crown again. Websites offering football betting in Canada price him at +550 to secure
the personal honor once more, but it’s the Lombardi that he truly wants, and for that, his
Bills are most definitely not the frontrunners. The bookies make Buffalo a +725
contender for Super Bowl glory, but they still lag someway behind the reigning
champion Eagles and their nemesis Chiefs.
And Bodog sent out a challenge to anybody who thinks otherwise in their recent post on X (formerly Twitter)
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson finished the 2024 season as the league’s top-ranked quarterback
according to postseason rankings, and for good reason. The Baltimore Ravens’ star
delivered an extraordinary display of versatility, throwing for 4,601 yards, 45
touchdowns, and just five interceptions, while also rushing for over 1,000 yards and
adding four scores on the ground. His season wasn’t short on drama either; Jackson led
the Ravens to an AFC North title, posting 12 regular-season wins.
But unfortunately for the former Louisville Cardinal, a similar woe reared its head in the
postseason. Jackson and his Ravens stumbled once again in the playoffs, suffering a
disappointing divisional-round elimination at the hands of the aforementioned Allen and
the Bills. That may well have cost him his third career MVP award – and his second
straight after claiming the crown in 2023 – but the bookies still price him as the +550
joint favorite alongside Allen to secure the top personal honor in the game next season.
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow delivered yet another staggering campaign in 2024, despite less-than-ideal
circumstances. The Cincinnati Bengals endured defensive struggles all season, slipping
to a paltry 4-8 record as the campaign neared its conclusion. The former Heisman
winner carried his team to an above 500 record, ultimately finishing 9-8 and remaining
relevant in the playoff hunt until the bitter end.
Joey B led the league in terms of both throwing yards and throwing touchdowns last
season, while he helped primary target Ja’Marr Chase to the receiving triple crown –
namely leading the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Those exploits have
ensured that he remains considered a top-five quarterback, and the bookies certainly
agree, pricing him at +850 for the MVP award. But there is only one thing in Burrow’s
mind this close season and that is embarking on a deep postseason run much like the
one that led Cincy to the Super Bowl in 2022.
Patrick Mahomes
While “down year” and “Patrick Mahomes” don’t typically appear in the same sentence,
2024 was challenging by the Kansas City quarterback’s lofty standards. He threw for
4,607 yards and 31 touchdowns, but his efficiency and explosiveness dropped
compared to prior seasons, as evidenced by his 6.9 yards-per-attempt average. Despite
Kansas City’s offense looking less dominant, Mahomes led them to yet another AFC
championship as well as an impressive 15-2 regular season record.
But as we all remember, the tale would have a bitter end. Mahomes and the Chiefs
were dismantled on the grandest stage at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, with the
Philadelphia Eagles obliterating their hopes of a history-making three-peat. But the
bookies haven’t yet written the face of the NFL off just yet.
Mahomes is a +900 contender for a third MVP award next term, but his bid could hinge
on whether Kansas City’s front office can provide him with more playmakers and
improved protection. Given his supreme talent, the league should expect nothing less
than Mahomes competing at an elite level again next season, and they won’t be willing
to give their dynasty-like status up just yet.