I’m pretty sure there have been odds for who was going to win the MVP for the 2020 season for weeks now. But, when Ed Werder puts out odds straight to Caesar’s Sportsbook that, naturally, have something Cowboys related, I perk up. Because when you’re talking Dallas you’re talking Werder. And when you’re talking Dallas and Werder, you’re talking football around the corner. I’m living in a world where NFL football will happen this year. There might not be fans, but I’ll be so into it. I won’t even notice that there is nothing but empty seats. The highlight, to me, of Ed Werder’s tweet, is that Kyler Murray has very juicy odds to win MVP that everyone should put some chedda on.
Dak Prescott has better odds to win MVP than Russell Wilson and Tom Brady, per Caesars Sportsbook:
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 20, 2020
Patrick Mahomes 4-1
Lamar Jackson 13-2
Dak Prescott 9-1
Russell Wilson 12-1
Tom Brady 16-1
Kyler Murray 16-1
Murray’s Plight
Kyler Murray entered the NFL in 2019 as the number one pick. He was drafted by Kliff Kingsbury who decided that he wanted no part of incumbent quarterback Josh Rosen who was the number 10 overall pick a year earlier. Also, all the talk about Murray potentially choosing baseball over football was fun to talk about. But, most understood that football was where Murray could make the most money at the beginning. I still think it’s possible that somewhere down the road, baseball might still be in the cards because why not?
A Real Under the Radar Rookie Year Which Surprised in a Good Way
Murray was the man in Arizona. An Arizona team that was devoid of a lot of talent and very early in the year lost their best skill position player in David Johnson. Besides the nowhere near as productive as he once was but is still pretty good Larry Fitzgerald, Murray was throwing to a bunch of rejects and castaways from other teams. Also, Murray had to deal with one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Still, Kyler Murray put up pretty decent stats, for a rookie that have him poised to be a frontrunner for MVP.
That’s the kind of season when you look at it you say, “Well, there’s certainly have been better statistical seasons, but this isn’t bad considering what he had to work with and it was his first season.” It’s the kind of season that makes Murray a darkhorse MVP candidate.
Murray was thought of as a guy that could throw but everyone was enamored by his rushing ability. He rushed for 544 yards and 4 TDs. That’s a pretty decent season where it doesn’t appear that Murray harped on his ability to run. They’re the kind of numbers that tell a story of a guy that made a conscious effort to keep his eyes downfield rather than simply being an athlete playing quarterback.
Lamar Jackson Took Pressure off Murray
Lamar Jackson was must-watch last year and easily deserved the MVP he won. He was electric in every game he played. He wowed the world with his ability to run the ball and make defenses look silly. So much so, that most people forgot Murray was even playing. Some of that was because Arizona was the opposite of must-watch. But I feel that fans got their fill of having a crazy athlete run the ball from the quarterback position with Jackson. They didn’t need a second guy doing it that they had to pay attention too because if they did, they might have been disappointed that Murray didn’t run as much as Jackson.
DeAndre Hopkins
There isn’t too much to say. DeAndre Hopkins is a top-five wide receiver in the league who is in the prime of his career. He’s going to be a colossal help to the development of Kyler Murray.
Second Years Have Recent History of Being Huge Years
The second-year for quarterbacks has a positive history for being the year where the realest of the real quarterbacks announce to everyone that they kick ass. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and I’ll even throw in Jimmy G because in his second full season in the same system he led his team to the Super Bowl. Go back further to Dan Marino’s second season where he broke every passing record there was that stood for decades until the rules were made so that everyone can throw for 25 TDs and you’ll see second years for quarterbacks is a spot for huge leaps. I think the stars are aligned to see Murray take a massive jump in production.
16-1 Odds
Finally, these odds are just too enticing to not throw some capital down. You know, with much certainty, that the award will go to a quarterback. You also could see voters not taking Jackson again due to him winning it last year and Mahomes winning it two years ago. They, typically, like to keep the award fresh. I have no faith in Dak playing consistent enough to win it. Brady is another decent bet but Murray’s odds get you most for your money. Plus, if Murray has some electrifying games, especially in the two prime time games he has, well then you have a recipe for a new hip, cool, and must watch guy that could hoist up an MVP trophy.
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