NFL News Update: Rodgers Hogs Headlines Amidst Crazy Free Agency

Rodgers to Jets… According to Him

While everything else from March Madness to the World Baseball Classic happening, the NFL finds a way to hog all the sports news for itself. That’s thanks mainly to the league’s antihero, Aaron Rodgers, who has been smack in the middle of these NFL news updates. The mercurial quarterback is reportedly going to the New York Jets according to… himself. There is still no official trade in writing. But it’s happening. The NFL odds are all shaken up about it.

The Quarterback Carousel Continues

As Rodgers gets the Packers and Jets to come up with a package they can agree on, a handful of other veteran quarterbacks switched teams. Jimmy Garoppolo, who is 2-0 against Rodgers in the postseason, moved to the Las Vegas Raiders to replace Derek Carr. He, on the other hand, left for the Saints to replace Andy Dalton, who is now in Carolina, as Sam Darnold heads over to San Francisco in Garoppolo’s place.

These NFL news updates have shifted the outright betting lines mostly in favor of the Jets. New York went from 25-1 to 12-1 to win the Super Bowl. It is now just behind the Buffalo Bills (+125) at +200 to win the AFC East. As for the Packers, they went from a 25-1 Super Bowl contender to 50-1 and are now third to win the NFC North at +300 behind Detroit (+150) and Minnesota (+275).

Speaking of Carolina, the Panthers made the first blockbuster deal of the offseason. They gave up a glut of picks and top receiver D.J. Moore to take Chicago’s first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The move has altered the NFL Draft odds with Ohio State QB CJ Stroud (-420) now the favorite to be picked over Alabama’s Bryce Young (+325). Florida’s Anthony Richardson (+400) is not that far behind as he continues to generate draft buzz.

And lastly, the Buccaneers also acquired former first-overall pick, Baker Mayfield. The move now gives three of the four NFC South teams a different quarterback from the previous season with Mayfield (Buccaneers), Carr (Saints), and either Dalton or the top pick (Stroud/Young/Richardson) for the Panthers. New Orleans is favored to win the division at +135 with Carolina next at +250.

More Star Players Switch Teams

Carolina was just getting started with that deal. The NFL latest betting news now sees the Panthers signing Eagles’ running back Miles Sanders. The Pro Bowler is just 25 and rushed for a career-best 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The Panthers also acquired a pair of Bengals in safety Vonn Bell and tight end Hayden Hurst. The team’s Super Bowl odds have fluctuated going as high as 66-1 but are now back to where it opened at 50-1.

The Jets, meanwhile, are letting plenty of players walk to make room for Rodgers and his fat contract (average annual salary of $50 million). The team also signed receiver Allen Lazard from Green Bay per Rodgers’ rumored wishlist. Next on their radar might be Rodgers’s other buddies Randall Cobb and Marcedes Lewis. Odell Beckham Jr. is linked with Rodgers, but he’s reportedly working things out with Dallas.

Other star receivers to move teams include the defending Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs’ JuJu Smith-Schuster who went to the Patriots in place of Jakobi Meyers, who left for the Raiders. Las Vegas also moved their Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller to the Giants. But despite all these NFL news updates,these teams’ SB odds have hardly changed.

Linemen were also a hot commodity in the past few days. The Chiefs paid Jacksonville’s Jawaan Taylor handsomely to move. On their left side, Orlando Brown Jr. left for Cincinnati. KC’s division rival, Denver also opened its purse to bolster its offensive line. It added right tackle Mike McGlinchey from San Francisco and guard Ben Powers from Baltimore.

Other Big Names To Keep an Eye On

NFL Free Agency is just getting warmed up. Some of the news that should break in the next few days may involve several notable players who are still not on a team. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas’s star running back, got cut by the team to make way for the franchise-tagged Tony Pollard. As a back that dominated rushing NFL players stats in his prime, he won’t be on the market for long. The Chargers (+275) or Bills (+350) are favored to acquire him.

Minnesota’s former two-time Pro Bowl WR Adam Thielen is also looking for a new team. A slew of teams from the Chiefs (+300), Jets (+300), and Browns (+350) are expected to be his landing spot. And three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins could also be on the move from Arizona. Green Bay (+300) or New England (+400) is his likeliest next destination.

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