Raiders Super Bowl Odds Improve After Acquiring Brown, But Still Longshots

• The Oakland Raiders have acquired Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Some sportsbooks have shortened Oakland’s Super Bowl 54 odds quite a bit, others haven’t moved them
• Is there any value in betting them at such a long price?

The Oakland Raiders are on the move on the Super Bowl 54 odds following a busy weekend, highlighted by Saturday night’s move to acquire disgruntled star wide receiver Antonio Brown in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Raiders closed out last week near the bottom of the Super Bowl odds, pegged as long as +12500, but have quickly made steady gains since pulling the trigger on the deal to acquire Brown, climbing to +6600 on the Super Bowl odds at some sportsbooks.

Odd to Win Super Bowl 54

All odds taken March 10.

Not all sportsbooks have shortened the Raiders’ Super Bowl odds, though. Their average odds remain at +8400.

Raiders at a Crossroads

While picking up Brown is a major step toward improving a team offense that ranked 28th in the NFL with just 18.1 points per game, the Raiders still have plenty of work to do after closing out a tumultuous 2018 NFL season with a 4-12 record.

The 3 Blockbuster Oakland Trades:

Sent:
Khalil Mack
Amari Cooper
2019 3rd Round
2019 5th Round
2020 2nd Round
2020 6th Round

Received:
Antonio Brown
2019 1st Round
2019 1st Round
2020 1st Round
2020 2nd Round
2020 5th Round

Jon Gruden May be crazy but smart.

— Isaac Deer (@isaac_deer) March 10, 2019

The first year of Jon Gruden’s second stint as Raiders bench boss brought plenty of change.

The squad failed to come to terms on a new contract with holdout Khalil Mack at the beginning of the season, eventually dealing him away the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a package of draft picks.

The squad continued to jettison veterans, and further contributed to their first last-place finish in the AFC West by shipping receiver Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in late October.

Stadium Controversy, Trade Speculation Spill into Offseason

The offseason has not been without its fair share of controversy and speculation.

Question marks that continue to swirl around the issue of where the team will play next season, and quarterback Derek Carr has emerged as a topic of trade rumors.

The 27-year-old pivot tossed for a career-high 4,049 yards last season but connected on a career-low 19 touchdown throws, and became a lightning rod of criticism of the club by both fans and media.

Cut, trade or keep Derek Carr? Weighing Raiders' options with QB https://t.co/ZENW8Ay22C pic.twitter.com/8Gde37kaQS

— Sporting News NFL (@sn_nfl) February 22, 2019

And while the Raiders wasted no time locking up Brown to a three-year, $50.125 million contract with over $30 million, that didn’t come without a price.

On Sunday, the team shipped two-time Pro Bowl guard and Super Bowl champion Kelechi Osemele to the New York Jets.

Osemele was limited to just 11 games last season by injury, and has absence was clearly felt on the Raiders offensive line.

The departure of the 29-year-old veteran frees up over $10 million in cap space, but again creates another hole for Gruden and company to fill this season, either through trade, or at the 2019 NFL Draft.

Chiefs, Chargers Remain Class of AFC West

Dealing Mack and Cooper has left the Raiders’ well positioned at the 2019 NFL Draft, where they have three first-round picks, including the fourth overall.

And with Brown’s arrival, it is tough to see the Raiders now shipping out Carr in favor of an unproven youngster.

The single biggest Super Bowl window in the NFL belongs to the #Chiefs. Who would have thought? https://t.co/YNT6E83xcd

— Arrowhead Addict (@ArrowheadAddict) February 9, 2019

But with the Raiders already facing the daunting task of competing in a competitive AFC West that features the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, it will take some spectacular drafting, and wheeling and dealing by Gruden to return the Raiders to contention over the course of the offseason.

Little Value Among Longshots, But Don’t Count Out Titans

Indeed, there is little value to be found currently at the bottom of the Super Bowl odds.

The Buffalo Bills would most certainly have benefited from acquiring Brown, if the mercurial star had agreed to be traded there by the Steelers. Instead, the Bills remain stalled at +6600, alongside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.

@Titans @TitansMCM https://t.co/duSTJUO6ZX

— Steven Crosio (@Savior789) March 10, 2019

Quarterback Jameis Winston has provided little reason to have confidence that he can lead the Buccaneers back to contention, but there is plenty of reason to hope in Tennessee.

The Titans remained in the playoff hunt until late in the season, finishing the campaign at 9-7.

The Titans were rumored to be pursuing Brown, who would have fit in nicely with quarterback Marcus Mariota, and are expected to remain actively in search of help downfield and in the backfield, which will be key to their ambitions in a very winnable AFC South.