Where Oddsmakers Project Patriots To Finish In AFC East After NFL Draft

The New England Patriots had been in the driver’s seat of the AFC East for decades.

After back-to-back first-place finishes by the Buffalo Bills, New England is no longer expected to cruise to a division crown. The Patriots trailed the Bills by just one game in 2021, finishing in second place at 10-7 but are facing some roster overhaul heading into the 2022 season. More importantly, their rivals made some notable moves to improve.

The widely-questioned 2022 NFL Draft class of the Patriots has not helped their odds, either, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

New England has +175 odds to finish in third place — the most likely scenario from the oddsmakers — in the AFC East race. The Patriots trail the Bills and the Miami Dolphins to win the AFC East.

That said, oddsmakers would not be stunned by a second-place finish, giving the Patriots +190 odds, similar to third.

Here are the Patriots full divisional odds:

Third-place finish +175
Second-place finish +190
First-place finish +400
Fourth-place finish +450

The good news? Believers in this Patriots team can profit if the team can take back the AFC East crown. A $100 winning bet on the Patriots to win the division would pay out $500.