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Category: NFL
NFL: AFC North Win Totals and Betting Predictions for 2018
On today’s slate betting odds and predictions for the AFC North. Read below as we examine the over/under of the Browns, Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens!
Steelers (10.5) OVER… (12-4)
The Steelers team has an endless amount of offensive talent that will undoubtedly be on display in full next year. They caught an unlucky break to face a Jaguars team who played perfect football in their playoff meeting.
When you have a lineup featuring the #1 RB and the #1 WR in all of the NFL, you should be expected to win a number of games. With Big Ben coming back, that all but ensures it. Their defense is certainly good enough to hold the leads this team will build.
PREDICTION: The Steelers claim the #2 spot in the AFC with a 12-4 record.
Ravens (8.5) OVER… (10-6)
Coming off a year in which they choked their playoff hopes away in the closing seconds against the Bengals a year ago, the postseason is the definitive goal for Baltimore this year. Joe Flacco has a QB behind him who could threaten his job security for the first time in his career.
Lamar Jackson should not be expected by anybody to start any games, but to be used in special packages this year. The Ravens running game lead by Alex Collins should be superb once again, while the WR corps should be better with Willie Snead and Michael Crabtree. Their defense will win a lot of games for them.
Prediction: 2nd place in the AFC North and a wild card spot for the 10-6 Ravens!
Cleveland Browns (5) EVEN… (5-11)
For the first time in a long time, there is some excitement coming into a season for the Browns. They vamped up their WR corps, RB position, and got two new QB’s in who are a huge part of the future. Baker Mayfield and Tyrod Taylor are both very qualified.
The addition of Jarvis Landry to play opposite a rejuvenated Josh Gordon will prove to be a very worthwhile move. This team needed to add strong veteran players to help boost a lineup that couldn’t win a single game a year ago. Hue Jackson’s coaching record in Cleveland will be certainly be much better than his first two years, where he went 1-31.
Mychael Kendricks chose the Browns in free agency and was excited about his choice. He talked about the future of the team.
“I chose the Browns because it gives me an opportunity to showcase my talent, and I feel like their scheme fits me best,” he said. “I’m familiar with the coaches. And I want to a part of an uprising. That’s cool to me. I like that. You know what I mean? We’re going to win some games, and I want to be a part of that.” – Mychael Kendricks
Prediction: Five wins is the number for Cleveland, as they try and build for the future.
Bengals (5) UNDER (4-12)
This is not a team that is headed in the right direction, and even after saying he will step down, Marvin Lewis decided to come back. They need a fresh face as coach and again will not get one.
Andy Dalton has struggled a fair bit over the past few years and aside from AJ Green, hasn’t found too much chemistry with his other WR’s. The team though, comes in with a little positive momentum after knocking Baltimore from the postseason running with their clutch comeback win last year. But, they don’t have the talent to overtake any of the other three AFC North teams.
Prediction: A rough year for Cincy has them at 4-12 and on the bottom of the division.
Full AFC North Betting Odds
- Full AFC North Win Totals are from Bovada as of June 18, 2018
Pittsburgh Steelers 10.5
Baltimore Ravens 8.5
Cleveland Browns 5
Cincinnati Bengals 5
NFL: AFC East Win Totals and Betting Predictions for 2018
With every team having their rosters finally set, it’s time to start looking at what Vegas predicts for the season. Read below we as highlight the over/under win totals for the AFC East for 2018!
New England Patriots (10.5) OVER
There is little to no reason to believe the Patriots will not be the best team in the AFC East. They have not had a season with fewer than twelve wins since 2009. They will crush the prediction.
Even with Julian Edelman now suspended for the first four games, they have a number of offensive weapons who will help to make this team dominant once again. Any team that is coached by Bill Belichick is automatically expected to win more than 10 games.
It will be another 12-13 win season for New England.
Buffalo Bills (6.5) OVER
Although this team is changing things up at the QB position and it is unclear how long AJ McCarron will start before Josh Allen takes over, the fact that 6.5 is their over/under is a joke. They are without a doubt a 7-9 win team. Head Coach Sean McDermott had some GREAT things to say about Allen during the May mini camp.
“We’ve seen a young man that has taken the right approach through the weekend and rookie minicamp. You see the leadership and you see the intelligence. Then when he went to the field, I felt he had great command of the offense, great command of the huddle. I thought he had two solid days of the way he threw the football. Most of it was passing game because of the nature of the camp. We didn’t run the ball much, when we did it was few and far between. He had two nice days of camp.” – Sean McDermott
They were one of the weirdest nine win teams of all time a year ago, with how they were fantastic in some games and horrendous in others. But, they are solidly coached and did just recently end a playoff drought of 18 years.
8 wins is a good prediction for the Bills.
New York Jets (6.5) OVER
Last season started off impressively for the Jets, although they were expected to tank. They started to lose games as the season went on and Josh McCown’s play faltered. They enter this season with three very capable QB’s on their roster.
The time when they decide that Sam Darnold is ready to come in and be the guy. This is a team with a decent WR corps and a solid defense, but one who is not at all ready to compete for a playoff spot.
The Jets should win, should all go as expected, seven games next year, and build upon that in 2019.
Miami Dolphins (5.5) OVER
A team that had Jay Cutler a year ago, they have instantly upgraded at QB with the return of Ryan Tannehill, but have lost Jarvis Landry which will hurt the WR corps. The signing of Danny Amendola is a nice short-term fill in.
They are well coached under Adam Gase and are a bunch with some unfinished business from 2016. They made the postseason but lost Tannehill late in the year, and so he was unable to play in the playoffs. Matt Moore was not the guy for the job.
They should win six to nine games this year and are in fact talented enough to compete for a playoff spot.
Full AFC East Betting Odds
- Full AFC East Win Totals are from Bovada as of June 14, 2018
New England Patriots 10.5
Buffalo Bills 6.5
New York Jets 6.5
New York Jets 5.5
Updated Betting Odds to Win the 2019 NFL Super Bowl
With the NFL Draft now complete, we take a look at the teams with the best NFL odds to win next year’s Super Bowl! This has been updated from a month ago.
New England Patriots Betting Odds (5/1)
As long as Tom Brady is still their QB, this team will always be considered Super Bowl favorites. Fresh off a loss to the Eagles, they are ready to bounce back.
They made a few changes at wide receiver, and will be getting back Julian Edelman as well, which is bound to bolster their offense. All will be well for Bill’s team.
The return of Gronk should all but seal this team as the league’s premier squad. It is too hard to not pick them as favorites.
Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Odds (8/1)
If they were in the NFC, the Steelers would probably have made it to a Super Bowl by now. They just can not escape the Patriots, and well, last year, it was the Jaguars who got the best of them.
Big Ben is back for another year the 3 B’s are still leading a very dominant offense. Though he is not able to physically be on the field, Ryan Shazier is with the team in spirit and his energy is infectious.
They should be able to make it back to the AFC Championship this year.
Philadelphia Eagles Betting Odds (8/1)
Carson Wentz will be back for the opening week and this should only make the team better. As good as Nick Foles was, the team will only improve. They have a fantastic receiving corps, and are very well coached.
The reigning NFL champions should be back and ready to try and defend their first ever SB title. They really do not have any glaring weaknesses and will be in full form in the opening weeks. The Eagles certainly do not remain scared of the Patriots, and if they get another shot at them in the next Super Bowl:
“I just want to come out and pay my respects to not just Brady, but the entire New England Patriots team, by having one of my better games. That’s going to be my way of showing my respect. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got. Every single guy on this team is going to do the same thing.” – Tim Jernigan
Los Angeles Rams Betting Odds (10/1)
The LA Rams took the league by surprise with their strong beginning to last season. With young head coach Sean McVay and QB Jared Goff, they were fantastic from the outset.
Todd Gurley returned to his elite form, and they found a few wide receivers to make a major difference.
They opted to let Sammy Watkins walk, a move we will see if they regret. The youngest head coach in the league should be ready to take them to the second round of the playoffs.
Green Bay Packers Betting Odds (12/1)
Aaron Rodgers is going to be back and better than ever in 2018, and the signing of Jimmy Graham is going to work wonders.
This is not a team that we are used to seeing as we saw last year, banged up and unable to win games. They did not have too much at the RB spot a year ago either.
There is some work to do with this team, but with Aaron back, they are going to win a playoff game or two at the absolute worst next season.
Full Betting Odds to Win the 2018 NFL Super Bowl
- The odds in this article come from SportsBetting.ag and are accurate as of June 7, 2018
| 5301 | Arizona Cardinals | +7500 | ||
| 5302 | Atlanta Falcons | +2200 | ||
| 5303 | Baltimore Ravens | +4000 | ||
| 5304 | Buffalo Bills | +8000 | ||
| 5305 | Carolina Panthers | +4000 | ||
| 5306 | Chicago Bears | +10000 | ||
| 5307 | Cincinnati Bengals | +10000 | ||
| 5308 | Cleveland Browns | +6600 | ||
| 5309 | Dallas Cowboys | +3300 | ||
| 5310 | Denver Broncos | +3300 | ||
| 5311 | Detroit Lions | +5000 | ||
| 5312 | Green Bay Packers | +1200 | ||
| 5313 | Houston Texans | +2000 | ||
| 5314 | Indianapolis Colts | +5000 | ||
| 5315 | Jacksonville Jaguars | +2000 | ||
| 5316 | Kansas City Chiefs | +3300 | ||
| 5317 | Los Angeles Chargers | +2000 | ||
| 5318 | Los Angeles Rams | +1000 | ||
| 5319 | Miami Dolphins | +10000 | ||
| 5320 | Minnesota Vikings | +1000 | ||
| 5321 | New England Patriots | +500 | ||
| 5322 | New Orleans Saints | +1600 | ||
| 5323 | New York Giants | +2800 | ||
| 5324 | New York Jets | +10000 | ||
| 5325 | Oakland Raiders | +3300 | ||
| 5326 | Philadelphia Eagles | +800 | ||
| 5327 | Pittsburgh Steelers | +800 | ||
| 5328 | San Francisco 49ers | +2000 | ||
| 5329 | Seattle Seahawks | +5000 | ||
| 5330 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +6600 | ||
| 5331 | Tennessee Titans | +5000 | ||
| 5332 | Washington Redskins | +7500 |
NFC East: Division of Reigning Champions. Odds to win Division in 2018
It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the NFL season.
Yesterday, we gave you an AFC East preview:
Now today will be the NFC East. Enjoy!
Philadelphia Eagles (5/8)
They did it. With Carson Wentz out and Nick Foles stepping in, the Eagles went all the way and took out the Pats for their first ever SB. Now with Carson Wentz coming back, they will have a great chance to compete for another title.
They brought in Mike Wallace to replace Torrey Smith, and re-signed Alshon Jeffery to a long-term deal. They have a tremendous DL, a great coach, and a fantastic RB corps. There are few holes, if any, on this Eagles roster.
Malcolm Jenkins mentioned how he missed Carson Wentz last season, but had some great thoughts about his team without the leader.
“You learn lot about people when they have nothing to gain in a situation,” Jenkins said. “Carson being out and the team still moving on and having success, for him to still be engaged, involved and wanting to contribute says a lot about his character. He’s been itching to get back healthy to compete and be a part of the team and what we’re doing.” – Malcolm Jenkins
A bet on the Eagles, is a bet on Carson Wentz to return to his pre-injury MVP form.
Dallas Cowboys (7/2)
Assuming that Zeke doesn’t miss any games with a suspension this year, this offense is going to be very potent. They lost Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, but have added Deonte Thompson, Tavon Austin, and Allen Hurns to help make up for the production they were going to lose.
Ezekiel Elliott, assuming he plays all 16 games, will be one of the league’s premiere running backs, while Dallas’ secondary will be picking off pass after pass.
Dak Prescott is a very solid game manager, and should be expected to lead this team to a wild-card berth at the absolute least. The expectation should the postseason, but betters beware of how the NFC East fluctuates its standings every year.
New York Giants 6/1
Now that they have Saquon Barkley in the fold, they will have a potent running game to support Eli for the first time in years. In addition to this, with Ben McAdoo gone, they can officially name Manning as their QB for all sixteen games, as we hardly expect Davis Webb to be the guy.
Assuming OBJ comes back healthy, he and Sterling Shepard, in addition to new addition Cody Latimer, should be able to lead a very good WR corps. Their defense is going to have to without a doubt be better in 2018.
They went from first place, to a team that didn’t know how to win last year. The Giants have an outside shot of winning the division, but the best bet is Dallas or Philly.
Washington Redskins (8/1)
With Alex Smith now under center in place of Kirk Cousins, this offense will definitely be looking different. They are the cellar dweller until proven otherwise.
The drafting of RB Derrius Guice should help to enhance their poor running game, but the addition of Paul Richardson still leaves them without a true #1 WR. They are probably the third-worst coached team in the division, and have some work to do.
Only true Redskins fans should be willing to wager that their team will be winning this division in 2018.
Full NFC East Betting Odds
- The full NFC East Betting Odds are from www.sportsbetting.ag as of Tuesday June 5, 2018
2018 NFL Odds to Win AFC East
It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2018 NFL Season. Read below as we highlight the teams with the best odds to win the AFC East!
New England Patriots (2/11)
It is really no surprise whatsoever that the Patriots are favored to win the AFC East. They have been doing so year after year, and really don’t seem to be slowing down, no matter how old Tom Brady may be.
There have not been many close division races in recent years, and every year that Brady has been healthy, the Pats have won the division. They added a few new receivers and running backs and will also get Julian Edelman back for 2018.
A bet on the Patriots is the way to go when looking at the AFC East.
Bills (8/1)
A lot has changed this offseason for the Bills, one in which they are coming off their first playoff appearance since 1999. Tyrod Taylor, the QB who took them there, is now in Cleveland, while AJ McCarron and rookie Josh Allen are the new Buffalo QB’s.
They added Chris Ivory for RB depth behind Shady McCoy, while losing Jordan Matthews to free agency. Whether it is McCarron or Allen in week 1, there is definitely pressure. Through all the ups and downs last year, Buffalo still made the postseason. The expectation is that they will do so again this year.
A bet on Buffalo is a bet that New England will falter in the season’s final weeks.
Dolphins (12/1)
This was Jay Cutler’s team a year ago after Ryan Tannehill was unable to play, but now that Tannehill is back, the expectations should be raised. He took this team to the playoffs the last time he was healthy, and there is no reason to doubt that he can do it again.
They added Danny Amendola to their WR corps after sending Jarvis Landry to the Browns. Kenny Stills has been playing very well over the last few years in Miami, as his ability to catch the deep ball is unmatched by any other receivers on the team.
Miami will have their work cut out for them, but definitely possess the talent to make the postseason. Gas has high hopes for the 2018 Dolphins:
“I’m not hoping,” Gase said. “I know it’s going to be different. So I mean, we’ve got different animals. You’ve got some Alpha Dogs running in there. You’ve got some guys that are going to go in there and they’re not going to accept a lot of the bull—- that’s gone on in the past. So, we’ve got the right guys for what we’ve been looking for.” – Adam Gase
Jets (12/1)
With two new QB’s joining Josh McCown this year, it could be a real carousel. Teddy Bridgewater is hoping to make a triumphant return, while Sam Darnold hopes to get the opportunity to lead an NFL offense for the first time.
The Jets added Terrelle Pryor and Andre Roberts, who they hope will improve the WR corps, as the return of Quincy Enunwa should also serve to do. This is a team who underwhelmed last season, despite only being picked to win three games.
The future looks bright for this team, but 2018 on the other hand, looks like a prove it year for a lot of their players.
Full AFC East Betting Odds
- The full AFC East Betting Odds are from www.sportsbetting.ag as of Monday June 4, 2018
Gronk is Back for 2018 in New England
Rob Gronkowski has officially committed to playing in 2018. Read below as we examine the impact this will have on the league.
Why he matters to NE:
Over the course of his eight-year NFL career, Rob Gronkowski has been a fixture in the Patriots success. When he has been healthy and playing at 100% health, this team has been almost impossible stop. There are few if any tight ends to ever play in the NFL who can be as polarizing for an offense as Gronk.
When Martellus Bennett departed, the offense surely took a blow, and the organization last year replaced him with Dwayne Allen. Allen was rarely targeted throughout the season and so there was barely any production at the TE position. Gronk is a 4X 1,000 yard receiver and has caught 10 or more TD passes during five of his eight seasons.
Looking around the league, there is not a single weapon who carries the brute force, size, and strength of Gronk at the position. He is legitimately a once-in-a-generation talent, and his commitment for 2018 is vital for this team.
How this impacts NE:
This move ensures that Tom Brady and co. will have their biggest weapon back for at least one more season. He’s contemplated retirement after each of the last few years, but the 28-year-old Gronk is back and the offense should be better than ever.
After they traded Brandin Cooks, NE’s receiving corps was looking a little weak heading to the NFL draft, but then they surprised many folks with the signing of Jordan Matthews. Putting Matthews next to a now fully-healthy Julian Edelman, and then you throw Gronk into the fold, and you have potential for a new level of greatness.
This is not a player who is the smartest out there, but he is without a doubt the most naturally gifted. If the ball is put in the right spot, it is impossible to knock it away from him or strip it. When he makes a downfield catch, he is usually off to the races, with the league’s best stiff-arms.
How this impacts the NFL:
Whenever a team has to game-plan for the Patriots, they have two different possibilities: Plan on how to stop Gronkowski, and if not, how to slow the offense. He is such a game changer that every single thing changes when he is healthy and able to play. Any time a coach knows he has to face him, he will generally prepare a lot of double coverage on him to limit his opportunities to make big plays.
Once that happens, the receivers reap the benefits of a lot more freedom and opportunities to make plays. For example, now with Edelman back, double teaming Gronk will open up the short game to one of the game’s best catch and slash wide receivers.
The array of weapons that exists within this offense is a force against all the teams in the league. Gronkowski is quite possibly, if anything, the greatest diversion of all time. In the games where he suits up but is not at 100%, he still draws double coverage. He wouldn’t have enough burst to beat his guy, but draws so much attention nonetheless.
Stat Predictions:
It is going to be an impressive season for Gronk. Here are some predictions for his final statistical lines.
REC: 75
YDS: 1,250
TD’s: 14
It is going to be a big season for this big fella, as the 14 TD’s will mark his highest total since his sophomore season. The yards will also be the highest since that season, while the reception total will be his highest since 2014.
Jordan Howard Back as Top Running Back for Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have announced that Jordan Howard will be the feature back for the team next year. Read below as we analyze that decision!
What this exactly means:
Jordan Howard has only spent two years in the NFL, but he has already replaced an all-time great Bears running back, and has already recorded 2,435 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns over his first two years. Playing in a struggling offense a season ago, he had the game-winning rushing touchdown in overtime against the dominant Steelers last year.
This move means that he is going to carry the ball north of 250 times for the third consecutive season to start his career. He has shown capability to handle heavy offensive responsibility, as first year head coach Matt Nagy is clearly impressed by him to make this decision. Knowing that Tarik Cohen is also in that backfield, this is a vote of confidence.
Why it is good:
Howard replaced Matt Forte two years ago and has not looked back since taking over as the premiere back on this team. He has done a tremendous job of finding openings and being patient when taking his cuts. He just seems to, whenever you least expect it, bust out for a 100-yard performance.
Already having two extremely talented season as the feature back, Howard is used to having big playing time. He seems to have great chemistry with the team’s rising sophomore QB Mitchell Trubisky, which will only serve to help matters more. Matt Nagy believes in him as well, which is all Howard needs to hear before he goes out and does his thing.
Why it is bad:
Ever heard of Tarik Cohen? The Bears rookie last year had 2 rushing touchdowns and one receiving, with 700 rushing + receiving yards a season ago and had a few breakthrough performances. His punt return ability, something we will get to see for another year, also showed how explosive he is able to be.
As good as Jordan Howard is, he is not much of a receiving threat, a skill that many of today’s top backs have. Cohen will still get his share of opportunities, but because Howard can’t catch or run those routes as well, it will put more pressure on the receivers when he is in the game.
Cohen, as mentioned, gets the most raw end of the deal, due to his productive 2018 season, and now working behind not just the #1 back, but the team’s feature back.
How will the offense perform?
If Jordan Howard is able to work in his route running even a little bit, this will prove to be a brilliant move from Matt Nagy. He has shown tremendous ability to pick up extra yards in key situations, so being able to do that consistently, well, Chicago has a stud. This could be another year for Howard where he gets 275 or so carries and between 1200-1400 yards.
Tarik Cohen, whenever he comes in, will require a lot of attention. With the team adding Allen Robinson and Trey Burton, while hopefully finally getting a healthy Kevin White, the weapons will be endless. Imagine having to worry about the fastest man on the team coming out of the backfield while having to slow down a 1,000 yard receiver, while trying to get around one of the best blocking TE’s in the league.
The offense for the Bears is looking very good, and there is a lot to be hopeful about.
Stat Predictions:
Jordan Howard: 280 carries, 1,350 yards, 12 TD’s; 31 receptions, 275 yards, 1 TD
Tarik Cohen: 65 carries, 450 yards, 4 TD’s; 40 receptions, 400 yards, 2 TD’s
A good year is in store for the Bears. Follow VegasOdds for more stories like this one every Wednesday!
Khalil Mack – Hidden Gem of the National Football League
Khalil Mack has been one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL for the last few years. He’s seeking a big contract from the Raiders. Read below as we discuss whether or not he is deserving of it.
Background on Khalil Mack
Taken with the 5th pick in the 2014 draft by the Oakland Raiders out of Buffalo, Khalil Mack wasted no time going to work and letting the league know who he was. Starting all 16 games in his rookie season, he finished with 4 sacks and 59 tackles. He got his feet wet and flashed a lot of potential rather quickly.
Now playing for his fourth different coach in Jon Gruden, he isn’t in a position to have to prove himself as Gruden knows very well how talented he is. He impressed all of his previous coaches, in Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, and Jack Del Rio, with his ability to quickly get to the quarterback. There aren’t many players in the league who can take a QB down better than Mack can.
Why Mack should be paid
He’s been a terror in opposing backfields, recording 40.5 sacks in four seasons, including 15 as a rookie. He was an integral part of the 2016 Raiders playoff appearance, which ended a very long drought for the franchise. Pair him with a player even decently talented in the pass rush, and he will be absolutely unstoppable.
If you take Mack off this team, it’s most likely that they end up struggling to get to the opposing QB, and they’d be bringing different players in without a clear top guy. He’s already a 3X Pro Bowler and 2X All Pro. In just his third year in the league, in 2016, he was voted as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, an award that shows us just how talented and dynamic he is.
Why Mack shouldn’t be paid
Mack is going the Joey Bosa, Darrelle Revis, Vincent Jackson, hold-out route thus far in the early offseason. He will not take no for an answer when it comes to getting his money. He’s currently slated to make $13 million in the final year of his rookie-scale deal, which is quite the compensation for a player on their first contract.
He’s looking for more, as he wants to get paid Von Miller type of money. Miller got $70 million guaranteed in his last deal, while Mack wants $65 mil to be guaranteed. It’s a weird time to be asking for this contract and there is no reason to be away from the team. He should allow them to pay their rookies after the draft, and all other players they may be signing before training camp.
He’s already 27 years of age, having spent a long college career at Buffalo, and while he is 4-5 years from a possible decline, he certainly isn’t a young player anymore. They need to spend wisely.
What Oakland will decide
The Raiders paid big bucks to Jon Gruden for him to leave the broadcasting booth and return to the league as a head coach, after years and years of rumors. It’s up to him to speak with the front office and decide if he’s worth it. Ultimately, they will choose the yes route here and pay Mack what he wants before the year.
The value and versatility he brings to the team on the field is just too good for them to risk losing him. It’s production that is extremely hard to be replaced, and just shouldn’t have to. They will need to spend more wisely in other places for the years to come as a result of this deal, but it will prove worth it. Khalil is a BEAST!
Big Trade in the National Football League Sends Cooks to the Rams
The Patriots surprised the football world yesterday when they dealt Brandin Cooks to the Rams after having him for just one season. Read below as we examine the implications of the trade for both sides.
Background on Brandin Cooks:
A first round pick of the New Orleans Saints out of Oregon State, Cooks career took off rather quickly. He caught 53 passes for 550 yards and 3 TD’s in his first season. His production doubled for each of the next two seasons, averaging 1,152 yards per year with 8.5 TD’s.
Cooks was traded to the Patriots for a first-round pick following the conclusion of the 2016 season. Playing in all 16 games for the Pats, he caught 65 balls for 1,082 yards and 7 TD’s. He was injured during the Super Bowl, in what would be his final game with the organization.
How it impacts the Rams:
Sammy Watkins spent one year in LA, and he was very solid, catching 39 passes for 593 yards and 8 TD’s and it is cooks job to come in and replace that production. The Rams already boast a few other talented young receivers in Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, who have used their speed to dominate their opponents.
Coming to LA, Cooks is joining one of the league’s premiere offenses, lead by 31-year old head coach Sean McVay. They took the world by storm a year ago when they won the NFC West and now, they’re setting themselves up for the years to come. How lucky can one WR be to go from Tom Brady to Drew Brees to an up-and-coming Jared Goff over his first five seasons? Life couldn’t be better for Brandin Cooks.
How it impacts the Patriots:
Now that last year’s number one receiver is gone, the Patriots will go back to focusing on Julian Edelman as their top weapon. He missed a large chunk of last season but his return will be extremely valuable to the offense. New England now has Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarelle Patterson and Malcolm Mitchell as complements to Edelman.
It’s great when you have a chance to trade into the first round, especially in a loaded class, but this team will miss Cooks. While Tom Brady is able to take just about any wide receiver on his roster and make them look like a star, the hole left cannot just be filled by a rookie. The big-play ability be brought, the chance to burst loose at any second, this is what made the Patriots so dangerous last year en route to winning another AFC Title.
Prediction for Cooks 2018 season with the Rams:
Brandin Cooks should fit in with McVay’s offense right away in 2018. He had already been spending time playing catch with Rams QB Jared Goff this offseason, so that will only help to create immediate chemistry. With Watkins now being gone, Cooks should come in as the most focal player in the receiving core, and should find himself in position for a monster year.
Cooks this year should find himself in the ballpark of 80 catches, 1,300 yards, and 11 TD’s. He’s playing in a very up-tempo offense, one which features big play after big play. Especially with Todd Gurley still dominating in the backfield, it makes this team even tougher. A big season is ahead for the Oregon State product as he begins his new life in LA.
Be sure to tune into the NFL in 2018 to see Cooks and his upstart LA Rams!
NFL Teams Busy with Back Up Quarterback Signings
A number of NFL teams have used the free agent market to secure their backup QB’s for upcoming season. Read below to see how these players will impact their new ball clubs!
Drew Stanton (Browns):
The 33-year old product from Michigan State had a number of opportunities to play a lot due to Carson Palmer’s injury history. In 13 starts over four years, Stanton went 9-4, throwing 15 TD passes as well as 15 interceptions. He’s showed that he can be a legitimate QB in the NFL when he gets a chance.
He was in fact a good signing by Cleveland, on a 2-year deal, because he provides good depth behind Tyrod Taylor, and along with the aforementioned Taylor, can also be a good mentor should they draft a QB. They didn’t bring him in with the expectation of him ever seeing the field, but he will prove to be a worthwhile signing. It’s the first change of scenery in quite some time for Stanton, who is poised to be the best Browns backup QB since Josh McCown
Blaine Gabbert (Titans)
After his horrendous three years in Jacksonville after being picked #10 overall in which he lead the team to just 5 wins it was unclear if he’d last in the NFL. He moved on to the 49ers in 2014, and over his three years there, he posted a 4-9 record, unseated Colin Kaepernick as the starter, and threw 16 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions
As the #3 QB in Arizona last year, he actually got a lot of action due to injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. He posted q 2-3 record in 5 starts, tossing 6 TD passes and throwing 6 interceptions. He’s heading to Tennessee, where the backup QB position has been a major issue for the last few years. Zach Mettenberger was highly inefficient behind Marcus Mariota in 2015, while Matt Cassel also struggled tremendously in action in the one game he started for each of the past two years.
This is another good situation for the very solid Blaine Gabbert to be coming in to, and look for him to take the field at some point this season.
Brock Osweiler (Dolphins)
A 2nd round pick of the Broncos in 2012 out of Arizona State, he threw 30 passes in his first years behind Peyton Manning. With Manning hurt in 2015, he posted a 5-2 record in seven starts, throwing 10 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions. The Texans decided they liked what they saw, and chose to pay him $72 million with a 4-year deal without even meeting with him.
Osweiler got benched for Tom Savage after struggling through the season. Savage ended up getting injured that season and then Osweiler returned as the starting QB. Though he took them to the second round, the Texans decided to trade him to Cleveland, who waived him before the year.
He would end up back in Denver, where he went 0-4 as a starter, with 5 TD passes and 5 interceptions last year.
Now, here he is in Miami, competing with David Fales and Matt Moore for starting jobs. This team will likely be lead by Ryan Tannehill this season, and Osweiler’s biggest value lies in the fact that he learned under Peyton Manning for three seasons.
Mike Glennon (Cardinals)
His career began solidly with a 19 TD, 9 INT line in his rookie year, though the Bucs were 4-9 in his starts. He signed a 4-year $72 million deal with the Bears to be the bridge QB for Mitchell Trubisky. He only lasted four starts in which he went 1-3, with 4 TD passed and 5 INT’s.
He’s coming to Arizona as “Bradford insurance” as the team’s started, Sam Bradford, just inked a 1-year $20 million deal. Bradford started the Vikings season opener and played tremendously, but suffered and injury and then only played 1 more game the rest of the season.
Mike Glennon has a decent track record by the numbers and can be a solid backup. He’s shown ability to fire TD passes, which is something this offense will need. Expect Glennon to start a few games when Bradford is unable to play.
NFL Free Agency continues as the draft is fast approaching. Don’t draft these guys in fantasy, but be sure to follow their progress. Some of them will have opportunities!