A quick glance at the Denver Broncos odds is enough to ruin your mood.
If you do look at the 2021 Broncos betting odds, you should immediately find videos of kittens or puppies. Yes, that’s what it has come to in Broncos Country.
At least for now …
It’s clear the various sportsbooks in Colorado aren’t sold on quarterback Drew Lock. The over/under win total is where it was a season ago, 7.5 wins. As a reminder, the Broncos were under that total with their 5-11 record last season.
Yes, new Denver general manager George Paton has had a remarkable offseason. He’s done a great job of keeping players in-house and adding pieces that will make Vic Fangio’s defense even better.
But re-signing Shelby Harris and Justin Simmons, and signing Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller hasn’t moved the needle in the eyes of the NFL betting world.
Why?
It’s all about the quarterback.
Broncos pre-Draft odds
The outlook is just as dreary for the Super Bowl, AFC, and the AFC West. As for even making the NFL Playoffs, most sportsbooks don’t see it happening.
If the Broncos do run it back with Lock this season, at least from the sportsbooks’ perspective, not much will change. Even if Denver improves over last season’s record, two or three games seems the most realistic. As it stands right now, even that’s a bit of a stretch given what we’ve seen from Lock.
Yes, he’s working and talking with Peyton Manning. But he did that last year, too.
This Josh Allen-esque leap that has been thrown around this offseason is highly unlikely. Is it possible? Of course it is, anything is possible. It’s just not likely.
As Cecil Lammey said, even if the Broncos don’t take a quarterback in the NFL Draft, the clock is ticking on Lock.
In less than a week, we’ll know for sure.
Could the Broncos go QB in the Draft?
If Paton and the Broncos do take a quarterback in next week’s Draft, it’ll be fascinating to see if the sportsbooks adjust the odds. The biggest factor in that is the quarterback Denver picks.
It appears that is down to two players, Justin Fields and Trey Lance.
DraftKings did have the Broncos as the favorite to take Lance but have now made the San Francisco 49ers as the favorite at +200. The Broncos are now at +300.
As for Fields, last week Denver was a favorite at DraftKings but were moved down to +800. Right now, the Broncos are at +400. That is behind the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots at +300. Denver is tied with the Atlanta Falcons.
DraftKings also thinks Denver will go quarterback with its first player drafted. The sportsbook has the Broncos at -106, followed by linebacker and offensive lineman at +400.
BetMGM also has the Broncos taking a quarterback with its No. 9 pick at -110. The sportsbook did list Denver as the favorite to select, but that is now the 49ers at +190. The Broncos are currently at +300. As for Fields, BetMGM has the Patriots as the favorite at +300, followed by the Panthers at +350 and Denver at +400.
A look at Denver’s odds doesn’t do your mood any favors. A kitten or puppy video is the perfect remedy.
But if Paton and the Broncos go quarterback in the NFL Draft, that could change the odds and the need for cute videos to help when you look at where the franchise is right now.
