The NFL betting odds are out for various awards and one of the most frequently talked about is the NFL Coach of the Year. All of the NFL odds on the board are at 14-1 or longer, so whatever option you decide to Vegas NFL odds, you are going to get a really nice payout if you’re right with your picks.
Taking a look at the coaches in the running, we’ve honed in on three that are worth examining further.
Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers
Odds: +1400
Staley is tied with Josh McDaniels and Brian Daboll at +1400, which makes them the co-favorites for this award. Staley leads a Chargers team that went 9-8 last season but easily could have hit double digits and beyond. They had a number of painstakingly close losses, including an overtime defeat in Week 18 that kept them from the playoffs.
In the offseason, the Chargers bolstered their defense by adding pass rusher Khalil Mack while the team managed to keep wideout Mike Williams with a contract extension.
Armed with Justin Herbert, an up-and-coming star that finished second in the NFL with 5,014 passing yards, this team is loaded up for a run. Can they put it all together?
Previous versions of the Chargers have consistently shot themselves in the foot. If Staley can help them avoid that, he’ll be among the front-runners to win the award.
Nathaniel Hackett, Denver Broncos
Odds: +1600
The Denver Broncos are a strong candidate to go from being one of the worst teams in the NFL lines to one of the best. When these types of scenarios play out, usually the coach of that squad gets plenty of credit.
The Broncos finished just 7-10 last season and were fourth in the AFC West. One of their biggest flaws was the quarterback play, where Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock simply couldn’t cut it. Bridgewater averaged a paltry 218.2 passing yards per game while Lock was at 131.2 in his six outings.
Only six NFL teams had fewer passing touchdowns than the Broncos and only eight averaged less than the 19.7 points per game Denver’s offense produced.
The Broncos brought in Hackett to take over for Vic Fangio, but the big splash was the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. That move alone makes the Broncos an immediate Super Bowl contender.
With the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, K.J. Hamler, and Melvin Gordon, this offense could be electric. If they can win 10-12 games, Hackett will be among the finalists. That’s what makes him a good choice in the sportsbook.
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Odds: +2500
If you’re looking for a solid long shot that offers value, Harbaugh is your guy. He’s currently on the board at 25-1 but those odds seem quite long for someone who nearly had a good chance to win it last season.
Taking a look back to 2021, the Ravens were 8-3 and were among the best teams in the NFL through 11 weeks. They then saw star quarterback Lamar Jackson get hurt and the team finished the season on a six-game losing streak.
The Ravens are, generally speaking, always a contender under Harbaugh, and with a healthy Jackson, nothing should change.
The division also might be surprisingly weak as the Pittsburgh Steelers are rebuilding and the Cleveland Browns could be dealing with a Deshaun Watson suspension. If that’s the situation, there’s a good case to be made for Harbaugh to win this award.
