A couple of weeks ago, we told you that Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby was taking the most action of any player at Caesars Sportsbook to win 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. That's still true with Crosby at +5000. However, an even bigger long shot has since rocketed up the board as well — Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary, who is now +6000.
Gary was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan, and the Packers'picked up his rookie fifth-year option at nearly $11 million this past spring in a no-brainer move. Gary wasn't a full-time starter his first two years in the league – the Packers had veteran free agents Za'Darius and Preston Smith ahead of him — but was last year, and he responded. In 16 games, Gary had 47 combined tackles, 28 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. In the upset playoff home loss to San Francisco, he sacked Jimmy Garoppolo twice.
Gary finished with more sacks than in his first two seasons combined (eight), more quarterback hits than those first two years, and just as many tackles for loss (eight). If Gary has another big year in 2022, he is going to break the bank next winter and the Packers will have a decision to make.
Gary had opened at +10000 at Caesars to win Defensive Player of the Year, which only two Packers have won. Both were future Hall of Famers: Reggie White in 1998 and Charles Woodson in 2009. An Illinois bettor put $1,000 on Gary +10000 for potential winnings of $100 ,000, and a Colorado bettor dropped $1,000 on Gary at +8000 for potential winnings of $80,000.