Calling all bettors! Are the Philadelphia Eagles on the cusp of becoming a dynasty? For obvious reasons, they’re already a frontrunner to win Super Bowl 58. But how will free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft impact their chances? The following betting odds are based on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl 58 Odds and Futures
Last February’s early odds for Super Bowl 57 offered clues on what sportsbooks were thinking and how that wove into the thinking of the broader betting market.
For example, the Kansas City Chiefs were the top favorite (+650 odds) of winning this year’s Super Bowl, while the Buffalo Bills were No. 2. Not too shabby as far as year-long predictions go.
But the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers were Nos. 3 and 4, respectively — though, in fairness, Davante Adams’ status in Green Bay remained unclear at that point. The Tennessee Titans (No. 9) and Denver Broncos (No. 10) clearly underwhelmed. The Eagles weren’t even in the top third.
Yes, Philadelphia wasn’t on most people’s SB radars a year ago. After all, they’d gone 4-11-1 in 2020 and squeaked into the postseason in 2021. How could they possibly take another giant leap forward in 2022? Let’s examine what happened this past season, and how bettors should respond ahead of next season.
A.J. Brown and Other 2022 Season Takeaways
Before we get to Jalen Hurts, we should understand the impact of the Eagles’ monumental draft day acquisition of A.J. Brown. The year before, Philadelphia was 29th in passing yards while attempting the league’s fewest passes. They’d also surrendered the 15th-most points while generating the second-fewest sacks.
This was a middling team with an elite core. The addition of Brown, not to mention linebacker Haason Reddick and other key assets, produced one of the greatest two-year turnarounds in modern NFL history.
Interestingly, the most apt comparison might be to the 2020 Bengals, who also went 4-11-1 before reaching the Super Bowl the following year. Except Cincinnati lost Joe Burrow for the season in Week 11 of 2020, after which the team averaged only 16.3 points per game (compared to 21.3 with Burrow at the helm).
But the same logic applies. Both squads had an incredibly talented, young nucleus. And both squads were a few key pieces away from making a shockingly rapid run at a title.
For the Eagles, Brown’s entrance coincided with Hurts’ continued development as a pocket passer, along with DeVonta Smith’s continued development as a future near-elite receiver.
As a result, Brown posted one of the quietest 88-1,496-11 campaigns I’ve ever seen. He was partially overshadowed by Hurts’ historic production, the exceptional play of Smith and Dallas Goedert, and an almost unstoppable defense that nearly broke the single-season sacks record.
As great as Miles Sanders was, this team proved they don’t need a top-10 bell cow to win it all. Yeah, it would help. But that’s not how this team is built, and it’s certainly not the primary reason they nearly prevailed against the Chiefs.
Philly deserves to be a Super Bowl 58 front-runner because most of their primary playmakers still haven’t reached their prime. We don’t know how much better this team can be in 2023.
For example, when Dallas Goedert got hurt midseason, he was one of the league leaders in after-the-catch yards. We wouldn’t expect that from a tight end. But at the end of the season, he was on a 17-game pace for 621 yards after the catch — which would have placed him No. 5 overall and just two yards behind Justin Jefferson.
Meanwhile, Brown finished sixth, while Smith ended up at No. 11. Among wideouts, they were No. 2 and No. 6, respectively. Brown will turn 26 in June, while Smith will begin the season at age 24. Truly, the sky’s the limit.
And that brings us to Hurts, who led all quarterbacks with 165 carries while finishing fourth with a 101.6 QB rating. He was on a 17-game pace for 861 rushing yards, 4,194 passing yards, and 40 total TDs.
It’s not farfetched to predict that Hurts could become the fourth QB in history to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season. Similarly, we should embrace the strong possibility that he could produce 5,500+ total yards and 45+ total TDs if his top playmakers remain healthy this season.
It boggles the mind. But it also shouldn’t, because if these Eagles continue to take steps forward while approaching their prime, they could overtake KC as the No. 1 offense. Combined with an elite defense, Philadelphia will be tough to beat across 17 games . . . or even 20.
2023 Offseason Moves
As with every team, the Eagles have big decisions to make about personnel on the verge of exiting, as well as personnel they might want to sign in free agency. They also need to negotiate a mega lucrative (if “mega lucrative” isn’t redundant) contract with Hurts and the ripple effect of greater salary cap constraints.
Currently, Philadelphia possesses the fourth-best odds to win Super Bowl 58 at +900. I expect that figure to dip into the +650 to +750 range by May. And it’s quite possible they’ll be No. 2 when the season begins. As of now, I’d bet on the Eagles over the three teams ahead of them: the Chiefs, Bills, and 49ers.
NFL Free Agency
On March 14, the Eagles signed Rashaad Penny to a one-year deal. It’s a smart move, in that Philly has a deep enough backfield (even with Miles Sanders expected sign elsewhere) to accommodate a talented, injury-prone starter. Realistically, he might give this team 8-10 games of terrific production. That would constitute a “win.”
In the coming weeks, we’ll update this section with more breaking news on key Eagles arrivals and departures through free agency and trades, how it impacts their Super Bowl odds, and how it might inform our decision to bet on them to win it all.
NFL Draft
In early May, we’ll update this section on key Eagles draft picks and UDFA signings, with an eye toward any instant-impact players who could help catapult them to the title.