NFL Teams That Got Better During the Off Season: Browns, Bucs
ESPN.com featured a piece Wednesday on the NFL teams that managed to improve greatly during the off season. Let’s take a look at each of these and their respective futures odds, making sure to lock these prices in now before they change.
Cleveland Browns – If you have been following Gambling911.com lately, you might be seeing plenty of positive news about the Browns upcoming season, something Cleveland fans have been waiting for as long as this site has existed (nearly 20 years GULP).
This looks to be the Browns year especially when one considers the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals do not look like they will be particularly dominant in 2017.
Okay, maybe they won’t be Super Bowl bound but…
Dan Graziano, NFL Insider:
The Cleveland Browns could finish 6-10 and be the most improved team in the league. How many teams will make a five-game improvement in the standings? They've invested in both lines, which is a fine way to start building, and while it's hard to imagine them being an explosive offense with their current situations at quarterback and wide receiver, coordinator Gregg Williams and the players whom Cleveland drafted on defense should make a difference on that side of the ball.
Aaron Schatz of Football Insider:
Cleveland has done an impressive job in improving its roster this offseason, signing two starting offensive linemen in free agency (both still in the prime of their careers), drafting three first-rounders all under the age of 22 and finally finding a second-round lottery ticket at quarterback. (That last one might not pay off, but it also won't stop them from using a first-round pick if they feel the right quarterback is there next year.) We won't all be talking about the Browns' improvement when they go from 1-15 to 5-11, but this is all going to pay off handsomely in three years.
Sure fans will want them to win the division…and more in 2017. For sports bettors it’s all about winning OVER 4.5 regular season games and this for sure seems more than doable with a payout potential of $110 for every $100 bet or $11 for every $10 bet. THIS IS A NO-BRAINER!
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Oddsmakers seem to think the competition in the NFC South will be between Atlanta and Carolina. Winning OVER 8 regular season games at -130 is a decent offering, though we’d prefer a reduced price.
Mike Sando, NFL Senior Writer for ESPN.com writes:
The moves Tampa Bay made on offense, in particular, make the Buccaneers a compelling choice as the most improved team this offseason. I'm not sure how much they'll improve upon their 9-7 record from last season -- nine wins was on the high side of most projections -- but the offense is in position to take a significant step forward.
Those moves include signing DeSean Jackson during free agency and then drafting tight end O.J. Howard in the first round. Instant weapons for QB Jameis Winston.
- Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
