The common term among sports fans is “Vegas knows.” Whenever oddsmakers release the numbers on certain bets, it feels like they know something others don’t. Maybe a particular team is projected to make the playoffs others haven’t thought much about. Or perhaps a player is suddenly the favorite to win MVP when he was a long shot mere days or weeks ago. That is why it’s interesting to see what those people thought about the Chicago Bears. Everybody knows they hold ultimate power over the course of the 2023 draft through the #1 overall pick.
What nobody knows is what they’ll do with it. GM Ryan Poles unsurprisingly kept his answers on the subject vague. He made it seems like he’s just as likely to use the pick as trade it. People have varying opinions on this. Some think he’ll stay put and take a top defender. Others think he’ll sell it to the highest bidder. There are even a few who believe he will select a quarterback to replace Justin Fields. Oddsmakers decided to join the fun with an update on who they think will be the team making the #1 pick when the dust finally settles.
Chicago remains the favorite, but two other teams aren’t that far behind them.
It isn’t a surprise the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts are such betting favorites. The two teams are division rivals. Both need quarterbacks. Houston sits at #2 overall. Indianapolis is at #4. The last thing the Colts would want is to see a QB they covet land with a rival, thus cementing the reality of having to play him twice a year. That is why they’re the favorite to move up in a deal with Chicago for the #1 spot. Wisely, the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers aren’t too far out of the running either.
Vegas made it clear they’re moving on from Derek Carr this off-season. The Sam Darnold experiment has run its course for Carolina. Both teams may try dabbling in free agency or the trade market. If they fail, then they instantly become players in the sweepstakes for #1 overall. That is why the Chicago Bears have so much leverage. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out. There will likely be clarity towards the end of March once free agency has settled down. We should know who the big players will be by then.
