NFL Protector of the Year Odds: Track Odds & Favorites for 2026-27 NFL Season
By Matt McEwan
Updated:
- The NFL’s newest player award, Protector of the Year, has seen odds open at most sportsbooks
- Penei Sewell is the favorite to win the NFL Protector of the Year honor
- See the latest Protector of the Year odds below & how the odds have changed since opening
The NFL is preparing to hand out its second Protector of the Year award at the 2027 NFL Honors. The purpose of this award is to honor the league’s best offensive lineman, a typically under-appreciated position in the NFL. What’s even more unique about this award is that it is not be voted on by the Associated Press, rather a panel of former offensive linemen. We will see LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O’Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields, and Andrew Whitworth vote on the award based on a criteria of skills, metrics, impact, leadership, durability, and strength of the opponent.
All of that information is vital to anyone looking to bet on the NFL Protector of the Year. Bettors will also, of course, need to consider the odds to win NFL Protector of the Year before placing a bet as well. I have rounded up the odds for all the top contenders below, which currently sees Penei Sewell listed as the favorite. Hopefully we see sportsbooks leave this market open after Week 1 this season.
Odds to Win NFL Protector of the Year
While only a couple sportsbooks offered Protector of the Year odds during its first season, almost all major sportsbook apps are carrying the odds during the award’s second season. Once again, Penei Sewell is seen as the favorite ahead of kickoff.
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Protector of the Year Favorites
Penei Sewell is the current favorite to win NFL Protector of the Year. The Lions standout tackle is given +500 odds to win the award. This means his implied probability to win the award is 16.7%. A $10 bet on Sewell would stand to win $50 and return $60.
The player with the next-best odds is Joe Alt of the Chargers, who is given +800 odds. Meanwhile, the Broncos are the best represented team at the top of the board, as Garrett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz are both among the top eight contenders.
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Protector of the Year Predictions & Betting Advice
When I first heard about this award, I was quite excited (as a bettor) about the potential of leaving the press to vote on it – I felt we’d be able to simply follow the names generating buzz, and there likely wouldn’t be many since the press hasn’t typically focused on players in the trenches (unless they’re racking up sacks). As a fan of the league, and a major advocate of games being won in the trenches, I’m glad the award will be decided by a panel of former offensive linemen. But as a bettor, this is going to make betting the award a fair bit tougher. Simply put, players and members of the media watch games in much different ways.
However, the panelists did tip their hand a little bit last season when they named Joe Thuney the inaugural winner of the award. They like a player who is dominant in both the run and pass game, and also enjoyed a good turnaround led by a new acquisition – how media of them! One single instance does not make a trend, though.
There are two players on the board who stand out to me as being complete linemen, and they also both have a chance to help their team right the ship after a bad season. Those two players are: Creed Humphrey, who I also liked last year, and Quenton Nelson. Humphrey and the Chiefs are looking to rebound after missing the playoffs last year, and he’s one of the best all-around centers in the game. Nelson saw his Colts fall apart after Daniel Jones got hurt, but they looked very good when he was healthy. The Colts guard has long been admired by former linemen for his nastiness, and Indianapolis should have one of the better ground games in the league again.
NFL Protector of the Year Trends
Since this is a brand new award, being handed out for the first time in the 2025-26 NFL season, there are no current trends. However, as we see the award handed out, I will gather all past data and trends to display here.
What is the protector of the year award?
The Protector of the Year award is the newest NFL player award. It was handed out for the first time after the conclusion of the 2025-26 NFL season, with Bears lineman Joe Thuney winning the inaugural award. The award is intended to honor the best offensive lineman in the league. Offensive linemen have always been under-appreciated despite having such a big impact on the game.
Who is the best lineman in the NFL?
Based on the odds to win the NFL Protector of the Year award, Penei Sewell is believed to be the best offensive lineman in the NFL.
Archived Protector of the Year Odds
Editor-in-Chief; Sports Betting Expert
With nearly a decade working in the industry, Matt is a seasoned sports betting veteran. He got his start with SBD in 2016 and worked his way up the ladder to become the Editor-in-Chief. Along the way he has done everything from reviewing sportsbooks to creating proprietary sports betting tools.
