2023 Defensive Player of the Year odds (Is it Finally Myles Garrett's Turn?)
By Josh Yourish
The pass-rushers have reigned supreme in the voting for the Defensive Player of the Award the past few seasons. Last year, Nick Bosa won it with his 18.5 sacks and in 2021 it was TJ Watt who took home the award with his NFL record 22.5. 2019 was the last year a player in the secondary won the award, but could Sauce Gardner grab the crown?
It’s possible that an edge rusher doesn’t win it, but for me it comes down to picking which defensive end or outside linebacker will. Let’s check out the odds and I’ll let you know who I think will be this year’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
2023 Defensive Player of the Year odds
Defensive Player of the Year best bet
Last season, Nick Bosa led the league in sacks, but he didn’t lead the league in pass-rush win rate, that was Myles Garrett. Garrett had 16 sacks in 16 games played a year ago and pretty much been perennial recognized as one of the best edge rushers in the game since he was the No. 1 overall pick back in 2017. He’s still young and will have more opportunities to win it, but eventually everyone is going to be dying to recognize his greatness.
What will help Garrett get over the help and join Nick Bosa and TJ Watt, the other greatest pass rushers of his generation as a Defensive Player of the Year, is Za'darius Smith. Smith had one less QB pressure in Minnesota than Garrett did last season and both were top 10 in pressures. Garrett was a far cry from Bosa’s 56 pressures with just 38, but Bosa had other rushers on his defensive line. The next closest Brown in terms of pressures was Jadeveon Clowney with 12, ranking him 126th tied with Donovan Wilson, a safety from Dallas.
Having Smith on the other side will open things up for Garrett to have his most dominant season of his career. He’ll face less double teams and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finished with 20 sacks. He’s one of the favorites, but I still like the value here.
Defensive Player of the Year dark horse bet
Things are going to be different in Miami this year with Vic Fangio as the defensive coordinator and Jalen Ramsey as the No. 1 corner. That will open things up for Jaelan Phillips who is a third year edge rusher out of Miami that really blossomed for the Dolphins last season. Phillips finished last season No. 10 in QB pressures just behind Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith and ahead of Dexter Lawrence and Trey Hendrickson. That’s pretty good company to keep.
Phillips had only 7.0 sacks which was actually 1.5 less than his rookie season, but he was a much better player. Fangio could absolutely scheme something up to utilize Phillips more as a finisher and that sack total will just start rising. It’s a dark horse, so I don’t think he’ll win the award with the glut of superstar rushers at the top, but if there is any player in the NFL that could join that group this year it’s Phillips.
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