NFL Futures Friday: Fly, Eagles, Fly ... right to the Super Bowl

Don't forget — Fridays mean NFL futures 'round these parts. In just six Fridays, we'll be nursing a Thursday Night Football hangover fresh off winning our first NFL bets of the year. Ah, that will be nice.

Last week we dove into the AFC futures market to hitch our wagon to a team offering some value (the Jaguars). Naturally, it's the NFC's turn, a conference that is a bit easier to read.

Flying with the Eagles this season

The NFC and AFC couldn't be more different. The AFC houses a vast majority of the top quarterback talent in the league, making the race for the seven playoff spots an extremely difficult path. You turn to the NFC, however, and the QB talent drops off drastically.

It's crazy to say, but Jalen Hurts is the best QB in the NFC, something we didn't think we'd say last summer. Hurts was always able to create with his legs, but he took massive leaps as a passer in 2022, consistently tossing pinpoint throws and showcasing his deep passing ability. Who is the second-best QB in the NFC? Is it Dak Prescott? Kirk Cousins? Geno Smith? Matthew Stafford? This is the list we're working with, which should tell you a lot.

It goes beyond QB, of course, and that's where a bet on the Eagles makes even more sense. Hurts' big leap was in no small part due to his supporting cast. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are both stud receivers, Dallas Goedert is a great tight end, and the Eagles have the best offensive line in football. That goes a long way, and nearly the entire offense that reached the Super Bowl last season has been retained.

The defense lost some contributors at LB and safety, but they've been able to keep their identity: their pass-rush and cornerbacks. Philadelphia nearly set the all-time regular-season record for most sacks in a season last year, and while they lost Javon Hargrave, they added two Georgia defensive linemen in the first round of this year's draft (Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith), both figuring to slot in as immediate contributors.

This is the most well-rounded team in the NFC by quite a gap, and they have the best quarterback, a player who seems dedicated to becoming great. This is a team you need to invest in.

Betting: Eagles to win the Super Bowl (+800 FanDuel)

In the news ...

Joe Burrow goes down with calf injury in practice — For a few minutes there yesterday afternoon, things were looking grim for Joe Burrow, who went down with a non-contact injury during Cincinnati's practice session. Head coach Zac Taylor suggests it's just a calf strain, and we'll be hoping the Bengals QB is all good prior to the season. The betting markets briefly shut down all Cincinnati-related futures, but those are back up. Cincy is still the favorite to win the AFC North at +150, followed by the Ravens at +220.

Jalen Ramsey to have knee surgery — One of the Miami Dolphins' prized offseason acquisitions, CB Jalen Ramsey, will require knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear. The timetable has ranged from six-to-eight weeks to most of the regular season. An extended absence of Ramsey would be a tough blow for a Miami team with deep postseason aspirations. The Dolphins are currently -110 to make the playoffs and +1200 to reach the Super Bowl.

MLB trade deadline looms — The trade deadline in MLB is Aug. 1, and moves are already being made around the league. One of the biggest sellers appears to be the New York Mets, who shipped off reliever David Robertson yesterday to the Marlins. Miami is a half-game back from a wild-card spot and currently +110 to clinch a postseason berth. Justin Verlander is the name to watch, with the Texas Rangers the front-runners to land the starting pitcher. Texas is currently two games ahead of Houston for the top spot in the AL West, and +1100 to win the World Series.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll