NFL betting: Odds on Eagles are moving, but there’s still value betting them

The Philadelphia Eagles are the hot team of the offseason, or at least the past few weeks. The odds on them reflect that.

The Eagles’ odds are moving. A week ago, they were +250 to win the NFC East at BetMGM. You won’t find that number anymore, and you won’t again this offseason.

The Eagles were +200 to win the NFC East on Wednesday, not long after landing cornerback James Bradberry on a one-year deal. Bradberry was a salary-cap casualty by the New York Giants, and he helps solidify a position of relative weakness for the Eagles.

Even with the odds shift, +200 to win the NFC East isn’t that bad.

Eagles have made big moves

The Eagles are getting aggressive. They traded for star receiver A.J. Brown during the NFL draft. They already landed pass rusher Haason Reddick in free agency. Bradberry was another splashy move.

The odds on the Eagles moved, and they moved on the Dallas Cowboys too. The Cowboys were -105 to win the NFC East last week. As of Wednesday, they were +110. The gap is shrinking.

The Eagles were closer to +300 to win the NFC East before the draft. That’s a big shift in a short time. It seems justified.

The Eagles were the top rushing team in the NFL last season, and Brown will help the passing game. So will the progression of 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith. The defense is better with Bradberry, Reddick and first-round pick Jordan Davis, a massive defensive tackle. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is a big question — that’s not a minor issue — but bettors are buying him as an NFL MVP longshot. The team around Hurts is very good. He just needs to be OK.

Even if the Eagles can’t catch the Cowboys, they should make the playoffs. You can bet on that too.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is part of a team that could go back to the playoffs this season. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Eagles were a playoff team last season

The best bet with the Eagles might be to make the playoffs. It was about even money before their recent moves, and it’s now -125 at BetMGM.

The Eagles were pretty good last season, going from 3-6 to 9-7 before sitting starters in a meaningless Week 18; they made the playoffs after changing their offensive philosophy to be more run heavy. They’re much better on paper a season later. The Cowboys were much better than the Eagles last season and it’s possible Philadelphia won’t catch them (though the divisional odds are good and still worth a play). The Eagles don’t have similar concerns about a wild-card spot.

One of the themes of the offseason was how the AFC was gaining in power and the NFC was getting worse. Not many of the projected second-place teams in the NFC, other than the San Francisco 49ers, are that strong. If the Eagles don’t win the division, it would be a big disappointment if they’re not a wild-card team. Their win total of 9.5 at BetMGM might be worth an over, but in a weak NFC they could go 9-8 and get a playoff spot. That’s what happened to the Eagles last season.

They are a hot ticket this season and bettors are rushing to get some future bets on them. Some of the value is gone, but jumping on the Philadelphia bandwagon still might be worthwhile.