In a stunning and splashy move, the Cleveland Browns moved swiftly to acquire star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants on Tuesday evening. Though the Browns aren’t a flawless team by any means, the team made great strides in 2018 and, by any measure, the addition of Beckham Jr. should strengthen an offense that already has the look of a dangerous unit for 2019 and beyond.
With that in mind, the good folks in Las Vegas are taking notice and, as of only a few minutes after the deal was consummated, the Browns now have the best odds to win the Super Bowl of any team in the AFC North.
some notable Super Bowl LIV adjustments due to the Odell Beckham Jr trade from the Giants to the Browns …
Browns 14/1 (from 25/1)
Steelers 30/1 (from 25/1)
Ravens 40/1 (from 30/1)
Giants 80/1 (from 40/1)— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) March 13, 2019
Beyond that, the Browns now have the third-best odds to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl (trailing only the Patriots and Chiefs), which is unfamiliar territory for the franchise in recent years. Cleveland finished 7-8-1 during the 2018 season, making an easy case that the team might still be a year away from being “ready” for this ascent, but the talent is undeniable when considering Beckham’s perch as one of the best receivers in the league.
It should be noted that a lot can happen between now and the start of the season, including the always important NFL Draft. Still, the combination of Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and the newly-acquired Beckham makes for a terrifying proposition on offense and that could be enough to vault the Browns into legitimate contender status.