Mobile New York sports betting was new on the scene on Jan. 8, in plenty of time to watch the Buffalo Bills make their second consecutive deep run into the playoffs.
But did the Bills do enough during the 2022 NFL Draft to get over the hump and finally make it back to the Super Bowl? Let’s take a look at all of their selections and their current odds to win the Super Bowl, the AFC and much more.
Bills History with Defensive Backs in the First Round
The Bills traded up for Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam, selecting him at pick No. 23.
Buffalo has selected several cornerbacks in the first round as of late, with the latest being Tre’Davious White. Buffalo has selected 13 cornerbacks in the first round and they've combined to make 14 Pro Bowls during their careers.
Buffalo’s best selection was Stephon Gilmore (2012), although his best years in the NFL came with the New England Patriots rather than the Bills. Still, the Bills have had a lot of success with cornerbacks in Round 1 throughout team history and they are hoping that Elam can be the next star in Buffalo.
Who the Bills Got in the Draft
The biggest need for the Bills entering the draft was at cornerback and they addressed it with Elam. He is an incredibly gifted cornerback who allowed only 191 yards last season in coverage. He can be a bit inconsistent, but he is a fantastic fit in Buffalo’s defense.
Outside of the first round, the Bills also got a dynamic running back in James Cook from Georgia. While he's not an every-down back, he is a phenomenal receiver who can hit home runs with his speed. Look for him to be part of the rotation right away.
Keep an eye on Khalil Shakir (Boise State), as he could wind up being the steal of the draft for Buffalo. He was one of the most productive receivers in the country last season and has some traits reminiscent of Stefon Diggs. He could be a factor as the team’s No. 4 or No. 5 receiver in 2022.
Bills Picked As Favorite to Win Super Bowl
The Buffalo Bills are still the favorites in NFL betting to win the Super Bowl this year, ahead of teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. It's not hard to see why as they have one of the best rosters in the NFL and one of the top quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen. Despite the AFC East getting much stronger this offseason, the Bills should again win the division with 12 to 13 wins.
DraftKings Sportsbook New York has the Bills as a +650 favorite to win the Super Bowl, +350 to win the AFC and an overwhelming -175 to take the AFC East.
The only real question: Is this the year they finally beat the Chiefs (or Bengals/Chargers) and make it to the Super Bowl? This is easily the best roster they've had in several decades and the stars appear to be aligning for them to make a run.
Here are the top 10 in odds, per DraftKings:
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a pretty good draft class for the Bills. They added multiple contributors and the best punter in the draft (Matt Araiza). There is no reason why the Bills shouldn't be the favorites to win the AFC going into the season.
You also need to factor in Buffalo's free agency and the acquisition of Von Miller.
