NFL Draft 2023 Preview: Position Odds for NY Giants, Jets, and Bills Picks

NFL Draft week is here. Now that the New York Jets finally made the move of trading for Aaron Rodgers, we know where each of the three New York NFL teams will be picking in the first round. So we’re ready for our official NFL Draft preview and how the odds can shift in your favor based on the need of the Jets, New York Giants, and Buffalo Bills.

The Jets are the latest in a long line of teams to make win-now trades. We’ll examine the multitude of betting odds on the Jets now that they have Rodgers next week after the draft dust settles. While time will tell whether the Jets will be the next Rams or Broncos following a trade that leveraged the future, let’s take a look at where the Jets stand following the trade for Rodgers.

For 2023, the Jets dropped two spots in the first round after swapping first-round picks with Green Bay. The Jets now select 15th instead of 13th in the first round, and they send their second-round pick to Green Bay. Where pundits criticized the Jets was from the decision to send a conditional second-rounder in 2024 to the Packers. If Rodgers plays 65% of the snaps this season, that will send the Jets’ first-round pick in 2024 to Green Bay. The 65% snap threshold can be considered low, as it translates to just over 11 games. That means Rodgers can miss nearly six games this year, the Jets could miss the playoffs, and still owe the Packers their first-rounder.

But that analysis is for another day. We know the Jets will be picking 15th–and first among NY teams–so let’s see what’s out there for Gang Green.

Last year, the Jets had an excellent first round by selecting cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Most are expecting the team to use this year’s top pick on a less sexy, but still effective, name.

Protecting their quarterback, who will turn 40 this season, should be a high priority for the Jets. Longtime fans will remember how Brett Favre tried to play through injuries at the end of the 2009 season that saw the Jets go from 8-3 to missing the playoffs.

Offensive linemen are typically scattered all over the first round, but with a few teams in the top 10 looking quarterback and others likely going with highly ranked front-seven defenders, that gives the Jets a chance to get a top OL. Many mock drafts have Chicago (No. 9), Tennessee (No. 11), and New England (No. 14) taking an offensive lineman, but that still leaves the Jets with someone like Broderick Jones, Paris Johnson Jr., or Peter Skoronski to protect Rodgers.

FanDuel agrees with this assessment, as an offensive lineman is a heavy favorite to be picked in the first round by the Jets. The top-three options are: Offensive Lineman -300, Defensive Lineman +280, Wide Receiver +650. There’s some late momentum on wide receiver.

The Giants were one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, winning a playoff game for the first time in a decade amid major progress from Daniel Jones, increased production from a healthy Saquon Barkley, and a good start to head coach Brian Daboll’s career–picking up the NFL Coach of the Year award in the process.

The Giants succeeded despite a patchwork wide receiving unit, so NY could go with that position at No. 25. Cornerback is also a need with NYG being thin at that position aside from Adoree’ Jackson after shoring up their front seven last year.

Most NFL Draft analysts have the Giants going cornerback here with possibilities being Michigan’s DJ Turner, Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes, and Brian Branch from Alabama. If Big Blue goes WR, it could be Boston College’s Zay Flowers or USC’s Jordan Addison.

DraftKings sees it as an either-or proposition. Cornerback is slightly favored at +140 with WR at +170. Offensive Lineman is at +380. The Giants are in the market for a new center, but that is more likely to come later in the draft.

Back at FanDuel, the Bills have more options under +1000 than the Giants or Jets. Here is a look at where the Bills first-rounder is expected to play after being picked at No. 27 on Thursday.

The lasting image of the Bills in the playoffs was Stefon Diggs throwing his arms up in the air following Buffalo’s surprising 27-10 home loss to Cincinnati in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Quarterback Josh Allen forced more throws than usual this year, leading many to believe that another weapon at wide receiver is needed.

But at heart, Sean McDermott is a defensive coach and will be taking over the play-calling duties in 2023. He may feel the offense is good but will want to improve the defense first. In that case, look at someone like mike linebacker Drew Sanders out of Arkansas and +300 for a linebacker pick.