Cam Newton and the 2021 MVP Odds

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was among the players given odds to be named 2021 NFL MVP

Speculation regarding the New England Patriots and their quarterback situation has been going strong since the end of the 2020 regular season and it hasn't slowed down one bit.

In fact, it's only grown more intense with each passing week.

But Cam Newton still is the likely starter, as it stands right now, and there's obviously some degree of confidence he can elevate his game after an uneven 2020 season. At least based on what oddsmakers are suggesting.

Covers.com recently released 2021 NFL MVP odds from DraftKings Sportsbook that listed 20 players deemed worthy of mention.

One of them was Cam Newton.

Sure, Newton was given the longest odds — along with fellow quarterbacks (Derek Carr, Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins — at +5,000 (betting $100 to win $5,000), but the mere fact he was listed at all is noteworthy.

The 20 players included 18 quarterbacks and two running backs, Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.

Among the notable quarterbacks who were NOT included in the odds were Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan or former Patriots second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been one of the subjects of the speculation about New England's 2021 starter.

Another set of NFL MVP odds came courtesy of BetOnline (@betonline.ag), and that one was more elaborate.

Those odds listed 46 players, including four running backs, four wide receivers and one tight end (Travis Kelce).

Newton was tied for 20th-best odds of becoming 2021 NFL MVP at 50/1. He was tied with Christian McCaffrey, Jameis Winston and Alvin Kamara.

The top three favorites were the same from both oddsmakers: Patrick Mahomes, followed by Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen.

Newton started 15 games for the Patriots in 2020 and his 65.8 completion percentage was the second-best of his career, but he had only eight touchdown passes against 10 interceptions and a pedestrian 82.9 passer rating.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft expressed his confidence in Newton when he spoke to reporters on the last day of March.

“I think in fairness to Cam, I’m not sure he had the proper weapons around him last year. And then he got COVID, and there were a lot of things that happened,” Kraft said. “And I really do believe that the Cam getting COVID and what it did to the team, it changed a lot when we were in a good place. Now we’ll have a chance to see.”