The NFL was in a longstanding conundrum, offensive linemen are arguably among the most critical positions in the field, but there was never a way to honor them. That has all changed this year as the league announced a new award a couple of months back called the "Protector of the Year."
The award will highlight the best offensive lineman each season, and, like any other honor given out by the NFL, people have already begun betting on who they think will be the winner. The only perceived downside to this unveiling is that offensive tackles are valued much higher than guards, which could skew the voting.
This is already evident in the betting odds as eight of the 10 favorites are tackles . The man with the best betting odds to win the award is former Oregon Ducks star Penei Sewell , who is widely considered to be one of the best all-around linemen in the game.
Sewell leads the way with +650 odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson at +750. Behind those two is San Francisco 49ers OT Trent Williams , with +900 odds.
As a former first-round pick, Sewell entered the league with high expectations after winning the Outland Trophy with the Ducks . In his four years with the Detroit Lions , he has reportedly only given up one sack, which almost seems impossible. Unless the NFL has plans to regulate how many times a person can win the award, there is a chance Sewell will win many years in a row.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Penei Sewell the betting favorite to win new NFL offensive line award
