Last weekend saw a rather unusual 2020 NFL Draft, but one which was 
perhaps a little more personal than most, with live streams from the draftees homes giving a somewhat less glitzy, but more real and emotive aspect to the draft as over 200 players from collegiate football found themselves employed as a member of one of the 32 teams in the NFL.
Prior to that, Free Agency had started with a number of top players, including the likes of Tom Brady (who is actually not retiring in 2022), Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Jadaveon Clowney and Derrick Henry all out of contract with their clubs. While many have re-signed with their club, or at least been given the Franchise tag, we have also seen a number of stellar moves too.
All this means we are now reaching a crucial time of the NFL season, when teams start to think about their summer training camps and bringing their newly drafted or signed Rookies into the fold, to battle it out for a place on the team for next season. It is also the time when fans take stock of their teams position after the draft and as Free Agency rumbles on, and think about which team will win the Super Bowl next year.
If you are based in the UK then you can get the latest Super Bowl LV outright winner odds right now at a number of sites, but we feel that the current bet365 New Player Bonus may just persuade you that this site is the best option, especially when you consider the range of other sporting markets available on site, including collegiate football betting in the U.S.
What has happened in Free Agency so far?
The 2020 Free Agency period has been one of the most dramatic in recent years, with some of the biggest names in the NFL, and arguably the greatest player of all time, involved in some stellar moves. Outlined below are some of the key deals of the Free Agency period so far, who re-signed at their club, who has been Franchise Tagged and who has signed a new contract with another team. Lastly, we’ll bring you details of players still seeking a new club for the 2020 season.
Re-signed with their current team
- Drew Brees – QB (New Orleans Saints) – $50m for 2 years
- Amari Cooper – WR (Dallas Cowboys) – $100m for 5 years
- Arik Armstead – EDGE (San Francisco 49ers) – $85m for 5 years
- Ryan Tannehill – QB (Tennessee Titans) – $118m for 4 years
- Anthony Castonzo – OT (Indianapolis Colts) – $33m for 2 years
Given the Franchise Tag (will negotiate a new deal with current team first)
- Dak Prescott – QB (Dallas Cowboys)
- Chris Jones – DL (Kansas City Chiefs)
- J.Green – WR (Cincinnati Bengals)
- Shaquil Barrett – EDGE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Anthony Harris – S (Minnesota Vikings)
- Justin Simmons – S (Denver Broncos)
- Brandon Scherff – G (Washington Redskins)
- Yannick Ngakoue – EDGE (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Bud Dupree – EDGE (Pittsburgh Steelers)
- Joe Thuney – G (New England Patriiots)
- Derrick Henry – RB (Tennessee Titans)
- Hunter Henry – TE (Los Angeles Chargers)
Signed with a New Team
- Tom Brady – QB – New England to Tampa Bay ($50m for 2 years)
- Philip Rivers – QB – L.A.Chargers to Indianapolis ($25m for 1 year)
- Chris Harris – CB – Denver to LA Chargers ($20.25m for 2 years)
- Jameis Winston – QB – Tampa Bay to New Orleans (Contract unknown)
- Byron Jones – CB – Dallas to Miami ($82.5m for 5 years)
- Cory Littleton – LB – LA Rams to Las Vegas ($36m for 3 years)
- Teddy Bridgewater – QB – New Orleans to Carolina ($63m for 3 years)
- Jack Conklin – OT – Tennessee to Cleveland ($42m for 3 years)
- Dante Fowler – EDGE – LA Rams to Atlanta Falcons ($48m for 3 years)
- Rob Gronkowski – TE – Retirement to Tampa Bay (Contract Unknown)
Remains a Free Agent
- Jadeveon Clowney – EDGE (formerly Houston Texans)
- Logan Ryan – CB – (formerly Tennessee Titans)
- Jason Peters – OT – (formerly Philadelphia Eagles)
- Eli Apple – CB – (formerly New Orleans Saints)
- Marcus Golden – EDGE – (formerly New York Giants)
The NFL Draft 2020
The LSU quarterback Joe Burrow became the new face of the franchise in Cincinatti when the Bengals used the first pick on him in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was followed off the board by two other quarterbacks in the first six picks with Tua Tagovailoa joining Miami from Alabama, while with the sixth pick the LA Chargers got their replacement for Philip Rivers in Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Washington picked Edge rusher Chase Young with the second pick, while Detroit went with corner Jeff Okudah, rated by many as the best overall player in the draft, from Ohio State.
In general, the reaction to most teams draft selections has been pretty positive with a higher than usual number of teams picking up A-grades from NFL experts, notable exceptions were the NFC North teams the Bears and the Packers though. Baltimore, Atalanta, Arizona and Cincinatti were amongst the teams giving the top marks for their drafts this past weekend.
Who Will be Super Bowl LV Champions?
After such an upheaval during the off-season for many teams, with many top
players moving teams or still unaware where their futures may lie, the 2020 NFL Season is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested in many years and the betting available with bet365 Sport (odds correct as of 11.30am on Wednesday 29th April) clearly demonstrates this.
All teams are rated between 13/2 and 100/1 for the title, which is a small range for the NFL. The Chiefs and the Ravens are the 13/2 joint favourites at the moment followed by the 49ers at 8/1, the Saints at 11/1 and also at the same 11/1 odds are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after their signing of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski saw their odds slashed.
Of the outsiders, Miami, the Giants, the Panthers and the Lions are all rated as 80/1 shots, while the Jaguars, the Bengals and the Redskins are all the 100/1 outside bet.
My tip though are the Buffalo Bills, a 20/1 shot. In a division with a new look New England, this young Bills team has only improved in Free Agency and through the draft and I feel after making the playoffs this year, they will improve on that this.
