Who are the potential MVP candidates for the upcoming NFL season?
We are just a few weeks away from the beginning of the NFL preseason as rosters are beginning to take more shape. The upcoming season is set to be another hotly anticipated one filled with much drama and great team matchups following new draft signings. We will see established stars such as Aaron Rodgers and Baker Mayfield turn out for the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers respectively after being traded in April and March. We also await eagerly for some of the top rookies in the country with the likes of Bryce Young and Jalen Carter expected to fit into starting positions for the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.
With so much talent in the league the shortlist for the MVP come the end of the season could turn into a longlist. Let’s have a look at the potential candidates as we grow closer to the beginning of the season.
Patrick Mahomes
The most obvious candidate is the holder and two-time winner of the award, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He has gone from strength to strength since being drafted back in 2017 and is now the standard by which all other QBs are measured. His heroics in the playoffs last season despite being injured proved just how determined Mahomes is to be the best. He could have yet another record-breaking season this year after passing for a career best 5,250 yards in 2022/23. It would be impossible to put anybody ahead of Mahomes in the running for next seasons MVP and he would be the safest pick of any other player in the league.
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow came close to reaching the Super Bowl last season for the second time in as many years, taking the Cincinnati Bengals to their second consecutive AFC Championship game. They didn’t come away with the win as they did the season prior, but Burrow is determined to bring a Super Bowl to Cincinnati. He has an elite wide receiver duo with him in the form of Jamarr Chase and Tee Higgins and his ability to remain calm under pressure is unlike no other, especially since the Bengals overhauled their offensive line. We can expect another big season from a still hungry Burrow and should he once again get the better of Mahomes at ‘Burrowhead’, he could beat out the Chiefs QB. NFL odds have him and Mahomes as the tied favorites to do so and the fight should make the season all the more exciting.
Jalen Hurts
As good as Mahomes is, Hurts was neck and neck (if not better) with him throughout the regular season. Last year’s MVP award essentially came down to whichever QB was to win the Super Bowl and Hurts was agonizingly close to both after the Chiefs edged out his Eagles 38-35. The 24-year-old had some question marks around his name when he began last season but after a 14-1 regular season there was no doubt Hurts could and is ‘That Guy’. He was the best dual threat quarterback in the league last season with 13 rushing touchdowns to his name. That’s five more than Justin Fields who was the 2nd highest scoring QB in the league. Hurts signed a huge extension in April and after being so close to the Vince Lombardi Trophy in last season’s closer, he will no doubt be taking his game to the next level to go one better this season.
Josh Allen
At his best there are few better in the league than Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen. He was the favorite to win the MVP award as were his Bills to win the Super Bowl until he picked up another elbow injury that has lingered since his rookie season. He still won the AFC East with Buffalo though, compiling his third straight season with over 4,000 passing yards, 35 or more passing touchdowns. If he can play to the level he is capable of throughout all 17 regular season games and beyond we are no doubt going to see an MVP season from him, however he may need to sort out his issues with star receiver Stefon Diggs with rumoured friction between the pair heading into the new season.
Justin Herbert
Rounding out the candidates is LA Chargers QB Justin Herbert who may be in with an outside shout of winning. They finished 10-7 before narrowly losing in the Wildcard Playoff rounds to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, they had a poor offensive coordinator in Joe Lombardi and have now traded up for one if the best in Kellen Moore. Herbert struggled for fitness but has now recovered from his torn labrum surgery and with his receivers fit as well all the stars could align for Herbert and the Chargers this season.
