We are a couple weeks into the NFL offseason, and already lookalike C.J. Stroud is handling his business a little bit differently than he did following his amazing rookie season in 2023. After the 2023 season, it was hard NOT to find C.J. Stroud out in the public. Whether it was Radio Row at the Super Bowl, on various podcasts, or at the NBA All Star Game, Stroud was everywhere last year.
One year later, on the heels of a sophomore season that many would categorize as a disappointment (I am not one of those people), Stroud is laing lower. This past week, he was NOT on Radio Row, and he has done almost no interviews. Indeed, Stroud appears to be focused on taking a big leap in 2025, from a football standpoint, and not so much a commercial standpoint.
So what do the experts think of Stroud? What are they expecting from him in 2025? One way to find out is to look at the odds on winning the NFL’s MVP award next season. Just days after the Super Bowl, courtesy of BetOnline.ag, here the odds on next season’s MVP award:
Lamar Jackson 4/1
Josh Allen 5/1
Joe Burrow 6/1
Patrick Mahomes 9/1
Jayden Daniels 9/1
Jalen Hurts 16/1
Justin Herbert 22/1
Jared Goff 22/1
C. J. Stroud 25/1
Jordan Love 25/1
Saquon Barkley 25/1
Brock Purdy 33/1
Trevor Lawrence 33/1
Dak Prescott 33/1
Baker Mayfield 33/1
Caleb Williams 40/1
Tua Tagovailoa 40/1
Kyler Murray 40/1
Bo Nix 40/1
Sam Darnold 40/1
Matthew Stafford 50/1
Drake Maye 66/1
Shedeur Sanders 66/1
Michael Penix Jr. 66/1
J.J. McCarthy 66/1
Geno Smith 75/1
Bryce Young 75/1
Justin Jefferson 100/1
Ja’Marr Chase 100/1
Jahmyr Gibbs 100/1
Derek Carr 100/1
Cam Ward 100/1
Travis Hunter 100/1
Aaron Rodgers 100/1
Derrick Henry 100/1
Anthony Richardson 100/1
Christian McCaffrey 100/1
Bijan Robinson 150/1
Puka Nacua 150/1
CeeDee Lamb 150/1
Russell Wilson 150/1
Nico Collins 200/1
Micah Parsons 200/1
A.J. Brown 200/1
Myles Garrett 200/1
Will Levis 200/1
Josh Jacobs 200/1
Kirk Cousins 200/1
Jonathan Taylor 300/1
TJ Watt 300/1
Bucky Irving 300/1
Aidan Hutchison 300/1
Justin Fields 300/1
Amon-Ra St. Brown 300/1
Jalen Milroe 300/1
Jalen Carter 500/1
Drake London 500/1
Davante Adams 500/1
Daniel Jones 500/1
Cooper Kupp 500/1
Brock Bowers 500/1
Brian Thomas Jr. 500/1
Dillon Gabriel 500/1
Patrick Surtain II 500/1
Marvin Harrison Jr. 500/1
Jaxson Dart 500/1
Jameson Williams 500/1
J.K. Dobbins 500/1
George Pickens 500/1
George Kittle 500/1
Garrett Wilson 500/1
Zay Flowers 500/1
Cooper Dejean 500/1
Travis Kelce 500/1
Tee Higgins 500/1
Aaron Jones 500/1
Kenneth Walker III 500/1
Ladd McConkey 500/1
Quinn Ewers 500/1
Okay, a few thoughts on these very compelling odds:
C.J. Stroud is ninth on the board
We all know the saga of Stroud’s 2024 season, in which he saw regression in nearly all of his statistical categories, particularly in the second half of the season. It’s why the Texans have a new offensive coordinator in Nick Caley. The betting market still seems bullish on Stroud being a high level performer, and they should be. Like several of these quarterbacks, Stroud’s placement on the odds board mirrors where the Texans are placed on the Super Bowl odds board, hovering on the fringe of the top ten.
Saquon Barkley is on another level for non-quarterbacks
In 2024, Barkley had maybe the greatest season that a running back has had in the history of the NFL. He rushed for over 2,000 yards in the regular season, and then in the postseason, he averaged 124 yards per game en route to winning a Super Bowl. Justifiably, he is the first position player to show up on this odds board (11th overall), and is the only non-quarterback among the top 27 candidates. The next non-QB doesn’t show up until Justin Jefferson at 100 to 1.
Jayden Daniels and the Commanders are last season’s Stroud and Texans
This time a year ago, coming off of perhaps the best rookie QB season in league history, Stroud was in the top five on every MVP odds board. As mentioned above, he is still fairly high on the board, but not top five level high. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, like Stroud a former second overall pick, and like Stroud the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, is tied for fourth on the odds board. The Commanders, like the Texans a year ago, have a ton of cap space to work with and fortify Daniels’ surrounding cast. Commanders fans should just be a little on guard, and look at the Texans and Stroud as examples that it’s harder than it looks to perform at such a high level.
How about some of the soon to be drafted rookies!
This particular odds board has rookies among the candidates, despite the draft still being over two months away. The first rookie to pop up here is Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who, along with Miami QB Cam Ward, could be the number one overall pick to the Tennessee Titans, if indeed the Titans choose to draft a quarterback. Rookies on this board are as follows:
Shedeur Sanders 66/1
Cam Ward 100/1
Travis Hunter 100/1
Jalen Milroe 300/1
Dillon Gabriel 500/1
Jaxson Dart 500/1
Quinn Ewers 500/1
Honestly, if I had to pick one rookie, obviously blind to what team they end up with, I’d go with Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, who is a 1,500 yard season waiting to happen.
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
