NFL Futures: Best Super Bowl LIX Longshots

Super Bowl LVIII is in the bag and next season’s odds are already out. Bookmakers are predicting a rematch with the San Francisco 49ers, the consensus favorite and the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs right behind. The Niners are as short as +450, but hovering right around the +550 range at most sportsbooks. The Chiefs are next on the board at +700.

Baltimore and NFL MVP Lamar Jackson are third on the board at +850 at BetOnline.ag. The Ravens finished with the best regular season record in the NFL this year, but lost to Kansas City in the AFC championship game. The 49ers, Chiefs, and Ravens are the only teams given less than +1000 odds to win Super Bowl LIX.

There are a few teams that will make great Super Bowl LIX longshot picks, especially if they upgrade at quarterback. Here are the top-5 Super Bowl LIX longshots (+3000 or longer) who are possibly just a QB away from a Lombardi Trophy.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (+4000)

The Vikings have their quarterback. He was just hurt for most of 2023. Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles tendon on Oct. 29 in a win over Green Bay. Cousins missed the rest of the season. Minnesota made it to 6-4 by midseason, but the offense just couldn’t get by with second-tier quarterbacks. 

The defense, under coordinator Brian Flores, kept the Vikings in the playoff race, but Minnesota just couldn’t overcome the injuries to all of its offensive stars. All of those players will be back and healthy to start 2024. That includes Cousins, WR Justin Jefferson, WR Jordan Addison, and TE T.J. Hockenson, who was on his way to a 100-catch season before his injury. With the offensive pieces already in place and a stout, improving defense, Minnesota could be this year’s Detroit Lions.

CHICAGO BEARS (+4000)

Or, it’s another NFC Central team that becomes 2024’s version of the Lions. The Bears played great down the stretch winning four of their last seven games with a top-5 defense and the league’s second-ranked rushing offense. Chicago has a legitimate WR1 in DJ Moore and a pretty good TE in Cole Kmet. The question is at quarterback.

Do the Bears stick with Justin Fields or do they dump fields and select Caleb Williams (the overall favorite to go No. 1) with the first pick in the draft? Either way, the Bears are likely a QB away from a postseason run. Don’t forget the Bears also have the No. 9 overall pick. They could use that for another weapon. Washington WR Rome Odunze comes to mind, or they could opt for another beast of an offensive lineman like Notre Dame’s Joe Alt.
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ATLANTA FALCONS (+5000)

The Falcons have a new head coach in Raheem Morris. He and his staff have a big decision to make. The offense has some weapons. RB Bijan Robinson (976 yards, 4.6 ypc) is a stud and Tyler Allgeier provides a solid No. 2 punch from the backfield. The Falcons have Kyle Pitts and Drake Longon as a formidable, young receiver duo. The problem is that neither Desmond Ridder nor Taylor Heinicke is an elite level quarterback.

Atlanta could be a great destination for someone like Fields, should the Bears decide to move on and draft someone like Williams. Or, don’t forget Atlanta has the No. 8 overall pick. That should be high enough to net them a player like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. Whoever the QB is, they will get to work with up-and-coming offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. He’s been with the Rams the last five seasons.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (+7500)

The Raiders also have a new coach. Will Jimmy Garoppolo remain the team’s quarterback? He was definitely not the answer last year and he has a history of injury. DE Maxx Crosby is a star and the Raiders defense played well down the stretch. RB Josh Jacobs won the 2022 NFL rushing crown and Davante Adams is still a top tier receiver. 

Don’t look for Fields to end up in Vegas. The Raiders hired Luke Getsy as their QB coach. He was Fields’ QB coach in Chicago. That didn’t work out so well. Look for Vegas to get involved in the free agent QB market and target someone like Seattle’s Russell Wilson. Bet this futures pick now at BetUS.com

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (+10000)

If there is a common theme here, all of these teams play good defense. The Steelers have guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick and T.J. Watt, who you could argue was robbed of this year’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. What the Steelers lacked last season, of course, was an offense that could generate points. 

Pittsburgh eventually did figure it out somewhat after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Starting QB Kenny Pickett got hurt and veteran backup Mason Rudolph led the Steelers to three straight wins to close the season, averaging over 30 points per game. With the hiring of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, look for Pittsburgh to potentially target either Marcus Mariota or Ryan Tannehill. Both put up big numbers in Smith’s offense in Tennessee.