With all the major team-building completed, it’s time to take a look at who has the best odds to win the NFC South. The division was the worst in football last year, and every team underwent a significant overhaul during the past few months. With a seemingly endless stream of new faces, which team is in the best position to take home the division crown in 2023?
NFC South Betting Odds – Who Will Win the Division?
Atlanta Falcons (+260)
Astonishingly, Desmond Ridder is the only NFC South starting quarterback to finish the 2022 season and start the 2023 season with the same team. The second-year pro had some moments of gold during his rookie season, but it’s far too early to confidently believe that he can be the long-term answer under center. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and it’s hard to feel too confident about the Falcons chances with such a massive unknown under center.
That being said, the rest of the roster has improved dramatically over the past couple of months. After spending two years in salary cap hell, the Falcons finally had enough money to revamp several key positions. While they didn’t have the best NFL Draft class, this is a decent roster that should win 8-9 games. With this division, that might be enough.
Carolina Panthers (+380)
The Carolina Panthers have one of the widest ranges of outcomes in the league, and the NFC South odds reflect that. Armed with a first-year head coach and quarterback, nobody knows exactly how good this duo will be out of the gate. Even if Bryce Young hits the ground running, it’s hard to imagine this passing attack being too dangerous with Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, and a steadily-improving Terrace Marshall. That being said, this team still went 6-6 last year without Matt Rhule, so there is some talent here, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Young is good, this team could make some noise, but you shouldn’t bet on a division title.
New Orleans Saints (+135)
The New Orleans Saints have the best quarterback and overall roster in the division. Derek Carr should be an upgrade on Andy Dalton, Chris Olave should take the leap into superstardom, and the offensive line should improve. While this team could use a veteran edge rusher, the defense still has plenty of talent and the team faces the easiest schedule in the NFL. The Saints have the best odds to win the NFC South, but frankly, their odds should be even better. This is basically free money.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+800)
Even though they won the division last year, there is a reason the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the lowest odds to win the NFC South. The veteran-loaded, win-now roster that propelled the team to a Super Bowl championship back in 2020 has grown old and can no longer compete with the rest of the league. Todd Bowles proved in 2022 that his terrible tenure with the New York Jets was not a fluke, and Tampa Bay replaced the greatest quarterback in history with Baker Mayfield. The Arizona Cardinals might be the frontrunners for the first-overall pick, but Tampa Bay shouldn’t be too far behind.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – USA Today Sports
