5 Post NFL Draft Betting Predictions

The first round of the 2017 NFL Draft is in the books and there were the usual surprises. Although you can go ahead and assume that will install Myles Garrett as the NFL betting favorite for 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The draft is the final big offseason event for the NFL before training camps begin. That’s not to say there won’t be any upcoming news. Here’s some I predict.

5 Post NFL Draft Betting Predictions

Big Cuts Still Coming

While free agency is basically over, there will still be some players who hit the market that few were expecting. That’s because June 1 is an important date when it comes to the NFL salary cap. The NFL breaks up its salary cap accounting for bonuses into two periods with June 1 being the trigger date. When a player is removed from a roster prior to June 1, all his remaining unamortized bonus money immediately accelerates onto the salary cap. After June 1, only the current year’s expense remains on the books after the player is released. The balance accelerates onto the following year’s salary cap. That’s why had former Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo not decided to retire, the team was planning to release him after June 1. Speaking of the Cowboys, they could decide to dump backup running back Alfred Morris after June 1. Don’t be shocked if the Carolina Panthers do the same to running back Jonathan Stewart. Designating Stewart as a post-June 1 cut would save saving the Panthers $6.25 million off this year’s cap.

LeGarrette Blount Will Sign with Giants

With Adrian Peterson recently signing with the New Orleans Saints, the biggest-name free-agent running back out there is former Patriot LeGarrette Blount, who led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2016. The Patriots have added two running backs so they won’t be bringing Blount back. I could see Blount signing with the Giants as a change-of- pace back to Paul Perkins. The Giants’ running game was ranked 29th overall in yards per game (88.2) in 2016. Bringing on Blount could prove to bolster those rankings and propel the offense into the top 10 in the NFL.

A Top Rookie Will Get Hurt

All those guys just drafted will soon head to a rookie minicamp with their teams. History has shown that a highly-drafted guy might suffer a major injury or have surgery for a previous issue and miss the season before it even begins. Last summer, Bills second-round pick Reggie Ragland, a projected Day 1 starter at linebacker, tore his ACL and missed the season. In May 2015, Jaguars rookie defensive end Dante Fowler, the No. 3 overall pick that year from Florida, tore his ACL and missed the season. Fowler hadn’t actually signed his contract yet — unsigned draft choices participating in minicamp sign an injury protection waiver. If there is an injury, the team will continue to negotiate in good faith as if the player were not injured.

Jay Cutler Will Sign Before Colin Kaepernick

Now that some teams have a better idea of their QB situation after Round 1 of the draft, expect someone to take a leap on former Bear Jay Cutler before anyone signs former 49er Colin Kaepernick. The latter comes with some political baggage from his national anthem protests and frankly can’t throw the ball worth a lick. Cutler’s a jerk and not great in the locker room but still has a cannon. There had been talk Cutler was considering retiring, but his agent said that wasn’t true. Some team will have a quarterback injury and will sign Cutler as a backup/possible part-time starter.

Suspensions Are Coming

I’m not exactly breaking news here, but NFL players like their marijuana. Whether you think it should be legalized nationally or not – it is legal in a handful of US states – it’s banned by the NFL. Guys are in their offseason. They are going to party. So you will see a few suspensions for drugs or potential DUIs over the next few months. Or PED use as guys are trying to stay in shape. The most recent suspension as of this writing was four games to Redskins linebacker Trent Murphy. He was docked four games for PED use. In 2016, Murphy submitted a nine-sack season. He finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ seventh- most productive pass rusher among all 3-4 outside linebackers, accumulating