San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl Odds After Acquiring 3rd Overall Pick from Dolphins

• The Super Bowl odds of the San Francisco 49ers shortened slightly to +1400 on Friday, March 26th
• San Fran is acquiring the #3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in a trade with the Miami Dolphins
• The Niners were the NFC representatives in the 2020 Super Bowl

Some were a bit surprised that the 2022 Super Bowl betting line on the San Francisco 49ers didn’t shorten significantly on Friday. The Niners acquired the #3-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft earlier in the day from the Miami Dolphins.

The fact of the matter is that sportsbooks weren’t exactly sleeping on the 49ers prior to this move. San Francisco’s Super Bowl odds were at +1500 prior to the deal. The Niners are now listed at +1400 to win the next Super Bowl.

That betting line puts them even with the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams and just a tick behind the Baltimore Ravens (+1300). The Ravens are just one of four teams with shorter odds to win next season’s Super Bowl than the Niners.

See the odds below from DraftKings

2022 NFL Super Bowl Odds

Odds as of Mar 26.

San Francisco was the NFC representative in the 2020 Super Bowl.

QB or Not QB?

Picking third overall, the 49ers are certainly now in solid position to add a player who would be an instant starter for their team. However, it’s not certain that this is going to be the tack they take.

All expectations are that the top-three selections of the 2021 NFL Draft will be quarterbacks. It’s a given that the Jacksonville Jaguars will take Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence first overall. At #2, football people are also expecting the New York Jets to select a QB.

Lynch told @wyche89 he called Garoppolo before this blockbuster trade and told the QB that he is still in their 2021 plans and other reports are echoing the same.

Either 49ers will have to be absolutely blown away by a trade offer or Shanahan wants to work with two QBs in 2021

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 26, 2021

In the latest NFL Draft odds, BYU’s Trevor Wilson projects as the #2 pick. Ohio’s State’s Justin Fields is the expected third-overall choice.

Whichever QB the 49ers covet, they seem certain they’ll get their man at #3. Published reports were confirming that San Fran didn’t attempt to wrangle the #2 pick out of the Jets. It’s known that 49ers GM John Lynch was in attendance at Wilson’s pro day.

49ers-Dolphins…Kyle Shanahan trying to control his own fate. You trade up to 3 for a QB who is NFL-ready right now, not a project. And to me that says Mac Jones.

— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) March 26, 2021

However, NBC NFL analyst Chris Simms is convinced that the QB San Francisco covets is actually Alabama’s Mac Jones. He’s currently not projected to come off the board through the top-five picks.

Tossing a bit of a monkey wrench into all this QB talk is acknowledgment from 49ers brass that the club has no intention of parting ways with current starter Jimmy Garoppolo prior to the upcoming season.

Injury Riddled Season

It’s easy to remember that, a year after getting to the Super Bowl, San Francisco slumped to 6-10 last season. It’s easy to forget how injuries were greasing the skids for this slide.

Last season, the 49ers used injured reserve 32 times. That’s the second-most injuries suffered by a team in a single season over the past 20 years. They saw 22 players go on the COVID-19 protocol list.

How injured were the 2020 #49ers? (via FO's Adjusted Games Lost):

• SF ranked 32nd in AGL, at 161.6. Next closest was PHI at 126.1

• SF has finished in the bottom-12 of AGL for 8 straight seasons (4 diff HCs)

• SF's AGL in 2020 was the 2nd-worst by any team since 2001.

— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) March 22, 2021

It wasn’t merely that a lot of guys got hurt. It was the caliber of those among the walking wounded that truly scuttled San Francisco’s season.

Garoppolo (high ankle sprain) and reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa (ACL) were lost for the season. Tight end George Kittle, cornerback Richard Sherman, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, defensive end Dee Ford, running backs Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas were other key contributors who ended up missing significant time.

Expect a Bounceback Season

Bookmakers aren’t sleeping on the 49ers. Neither should you.

This is a club with a top-five NFL roster when healthy. The Niners re-signed potential free agent Trent Williams, arguably the best tackle in the league.

Big moves 👀#49ersDraft | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/W4prue4x3r

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) March 26, 2021

San Francisco could follow the last season’s example set by the Chargers and Dolphins. Use Garoppolo to start the season until they feel their #3 overall pick is ready to take the reins. It’s also worth noting that Jimmy G has missed much of two of the past three seasons through injury.

At their current price, the 49ers are well worth a play.

Pick: San Francisco 49ers (+1400)