Kenny Pickett isn’t yet taking first-team reps for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But at least one sportsbook believes he will by the time the games matter.
Sportsbetting.ag on Wednesday released its odds for various NFL postseason awards for the 2022 season. It rated Pickett as its favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Pickett’s odds were listed at +600 (paying 6-to-1), comfortably ahead of the No. 2 choice, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (+800). New York Jets running back Breece Hall (+900), Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (+900) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (+900), a New Kensington native, rounded out the site’s top five.
Pickett, the No. 20 overall pick out of Pitt, has been behind veterans Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph early in Steelers’ organized team activities. A Heisman Trophy finalist and breaker of several of Dan Marino’s records at Pitt, Pickett was the only quarterback taken among the first two rounds of last month’s draft.
While it once was rare for a quarterback to win the league rookie of the year award (none won it between 1971-2003), Ben Roethlisberger claiming it in 2004 started a trend. Nine of the past 18 have been quarterbacks.
Last year’s award went to Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Roethlisberger is one of three Steelers to claim the award, joining receiver Louis Lipps (1984) and running back Franco Harris (1972). Roethlisberger’s retirement in January compelled the Steelers to draft Pickett and sign former Chicago Bears starter Mitch Trubisky.
Sportsbetting.ag’s other betting favorites to win major NFL 2022 postseason awards are Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert for MVP (+550), Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett as Defensive Player of the Year (+650), Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson for Defensive Rookie of the Year (+500), the Buffalo Bills’ Sean McDermott as Coach of the Year (+1000) and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry as Comeback Player of the Year (+550).
Of note is that Trubisky is tied for the ninth-best odds for Comeback Player of the Year (+1400), Mike Tomlin is tied for 10th for Coach of the Year (+2000) and the Steelers’ reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt, has the second-best odds to win it again this year at +700.
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