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Saquon Barkley says bye-bye New York and hello to Philly. Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL betting: Three early winners from the start of free agency

By Griffin Carroll | Last updated 3/12/24

The dust is far from settled on NFL free agency, but the first day of legal tampering brought with it a bevy of moves that are already shaping the season to come. As we consider Monday's action and the impact it has on some futures bets, we're drawn to the NFC here with a trio of teams you might want to consider getting a piece of now.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers were already a team we had our eye on for 2024-25 thanks to a strong season from Jordan Love and the entirety of their offense seemingly on their rookie deals.

The benefit of having so many cost-controlled assets is that it gives you money to spend in free agency, and that Green Bay has done to start the week.

The more notable move was likely the addition of RB Josh Jacobs, two years removed from the NFL's rushing title. Jacobs is only 26 and has shown to be durable up to this point, giving Love and Green Bay another weapon on offense. The Packers did release Aaron Jones in a subsequent move to afford Jacobs.

The acquisition that seems more important, however, is that of safety Xavier McKinney. McKinney was the top safety in the market, and paid like it, and at just 24 years old, the Packers get themselves a massive piece in their secondary.

The Packers are sporting some strong balance on both ends and have more money to work with to continue adding pieces. Don't sleep on Green Bay this year.

Odds to win division: +225 Odds to win conference: +850 Odds to win Super Bowl: +2000

Philadelphia Eagles

Philly made a pair of splashes on the first day of free agency, signing edge rusher Bryce Huff to a big contract and uncharacteristically bringing in star running back Saquon Barkley on a multi-year deal.

The Barkley move is easy to get excited about. If he can stay healthy, this will easily be the best offense he's ever played in, and the multitude of weapons on the Eagles should give him less defenders in the box and more holes to run through. The offense in Philly is about as loaded as they come now.

Huff is an intriguing add, who had 10 sacks and 60+ QB pressures last year in just a minor role with the Jets. Philly clearly sees something in the pass-rusher and that group fell flat towards the end of last season, this should help.

The two big moves have turned the Eagles into the NFC East betting favorite, and it's worth noting that signing Barkley only makes division-rival New York weaker, an added plus.

Odds to win division: +120 Odds to win conference: +750 Odds to win Super Bowl: +1700

Atlanta Falcons

We can argue about where Kirk Cousins sits on the QB rankings and whether he's worth the money he keeps signing for all we want, but there's no denying that he's a massive upgrade over Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.

While a move like signing Cousins might seem curious for those who don't see the Falcons as an immediate contender, it's important to remember how many young offensive pieces they have and how quickly they need to properly figure out who of the group is worth committing to.

Cousins will now lead an offense with Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson, and with a new coach in tow, the hope is we finally see all of these prospects put in a position to succeed.

In a wide open NFC South, this is a big move for Atlanta's 2024 prospects.

Odds to win division: -115 Odds to win conference: +1000 Odds to win Super Bowl: +2500

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