Long Shot? Sure, But Case Can Be Made For Mac Jones Winning NFL MVP

Did anyone actually think Patrick Mahomes would win the 2018 NFL MVP award when the Kansas City Chiefs second-year quarterback was a 55-to-1 bet before the 2018 season?

And what about Lamar Jackson? Was there really much optimism the Baltimore Ravens signal-caller, a 50-to-1 wager before his second campaign, would claim the 2019 honor? Unanimously, for that matter?

Those youthful quarterbacks, with their then-preseason betting prices pointed out by PointsBet Sportsbook, didn't have oddsmakers or the public overly confident. They were relatively unknown, with Mahomes only making one NFL start prior to his 2018 campaign. But they're two prime examples as to why there is a case to be made regarding New England Patriots second-year quarterback Mac Jones claiming the NFL MVP award in 2022.

Jones is a long shot just as those two were. The 2021 first-rounder is listed at 40-to-1 to win NFL MVP at FanDuel Sportsbook, 50-to-1 at BetMGM and 60-to-1 at DraftKings -- showing it's important to shop around. Jones has the same betting prices as receivers Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel to claim what's now regarded as a quarterback-driven award. And there's little confidence in him to do so. He's responsible for less than 1% of the betting tickets and handle on BetMGM Sportsbook.

Jones, however, is capable of making the second-year leap just as Mahomes and Jackson did. The Alabama product was in the running to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year before losing out to well-deserved Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase. It was a much more notable rookie season than either that of Jackson or Mahomes.

Of course, the obvious elephant in the room relates to the Patriots roster around Jones. New England's offense struggled mightily during the preseason all while the Josh McDaniels-less offensive play-caller situation, which now features Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and maybe Bill Belichick, has presented more questions than answers. It's a situation which could not only cause Jones' MVP prospects to nosedive, but even cause him to regress following an impressive first season.

The reality is, if those around Jones are not up to standard, the Patriots won't win games. And if the Patriots don't win games, well, nobody will be representing New England at the postseason award ceremony. Individual awards follow team success. It could prove a major difference in the examples involving Mahomes and Jackson. After all, Mahomes' Chiefs went 12-4 during his MVP season and Jackson's Ravens went a similar 13-2 in games he started.

All told, it would not be wise to bet heavily on Jones. But if you're looking to sprinkle a few different MVP futures, there are similar situations to the one Jones finds himself in. And the payout, especially on DraftKings Sportsbook, presents an enticing opportunity.