The NFC South is one of the most interesting divisions in the NFL as there is no clear-cut team that is better than anyone. Remember that the Buccaneers won the division with a losing record while having Tom Brady under center. All four teams have been able to do some minor additions but nothing incredible. Let’s dive into the odds for them to win the division and get to the postseason.
New Orleans Saints (+120)
The Saints are the favorites to win the NFC South as they look to have corrected the quarterback position. They signed Derek Carr in the offseason and look to have Michael Thomas and Chris Olave lead the offense out wide. Running back Jamaal Williams was also added and could be a strong addition out of the backfield.
Their defense has continued to showcase some solid talent as they spent some draft capital on it with two defensive linemen in their first two picks with Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey. This team can win a very wide open NFC South if they can just stay healthy.
Carolina Panthers (+400)
The new-look Carolina Panthers under Frank Reich can be interesting this season. They drafted a new quarterback with the first pick as they got Bryce Young as well as trading for DJ Chark and Adam Thielen in the offseason. They added Miles Sanders in the backfield as well to get the offense going in the right direction.
The defense needs some work but their linebackers may be the best in the division with Brian Burns, Frankie Luvu, Shaq Thompson and Justin Houston. If they can get some things to bounce their way, they can win the NFC South but I would not take the wager at this price.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+800)
Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield is going to start here. No thank you. They still have some talent with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at the receiver positions but this team is going to be struggling to put up points. They drafted Calijah Kancey in the first round but he is going to miss the entire preseason with a calf strain and that is going to be tough. This defense is another year older and has the lowest ceiling of any team in the division.
Atlanta Falcons (+2500)
The Atlanta Falcons have been trying to get going but they are still a few years away. Quarterback Desmond Ridder only had 115 pass attempts last season and a mediocre 49.8 QBR so he needs to take a massive step in Year 2. They did improve the offense by selecting running back Bijan Robinson in the first round while already having Tyler Allgeier and Cordarelle Patterson on the roster. Atlanta also has a young core with wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.
The defense has some solid secondary weapons with AJ Terrell and Jeff Okudah at the corner spots and Jessie Bates III at free safety. If they can get some pressure with their defensive line, they have a chance and the odds being so high, it is worth throwing a flyer on the Dirty Birds.
