The NFL Protector of the Year odds open the door to a new betting opportunity in the 2025-26 football season! This new award will be given to the best offensive lineman each season, with no clear favorites for the opening year.
Learn more about the new award and the most likely winners below. If you read to the end, you will also find my NFL Protector of the Year predictions for the 2025-2026 season.
2025-2026 NFL Protector of the Year Odds
Here are the updated NFL Protector of the Year odds, courtesy of BetUS.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Penei Sewell | +450 |
| Lane Johnson | +600 |
| Trent Williams | +700 |
| Jordan Mailata | +1000 |
| Joe Alt | +1200 |
| Dion Dawkins | +1400 |
| Laremy Tunsil | +2000 |
| Creed Humphrey | +2000 |
| Joe Thuney | +2200 |
| Tristan Wirfs | +2500 |
| Will Campbell | +2500 |
| Kolton Miller | +2500 |
Detroit’s Penei Sewell (+450) is the favorite at the best NFL betting sites to win the first-ever Protector of the Year award. He is closely followed by Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson (+600) and San Francisco’s Trent Williams (+700). Jordan Mailata and Joe Alt round out the top five at 10-1 and 12-1, respectively.
The race is wide open, and you can find the Protector of the Year odds for even more players by going to BetUS > Football > NFL Season Awards > Protector of the Year.
How Is the NFL Protector of the Year Determined?
The NFL Protector of the Year award will honor the best offensive lineman in the league, as determined by a panel of former standout offensive linemen. The 2025 panel includes the following voters:
-
- LeCharles Bentley
- Jason Kelce
- Jason Whitworth
- Shaun O’Hara
- Orlando Pace
- Will Shields
The voters have specific criteria to work with when picking their Protector of the Year. They are instructed to base their votes on skill metrics, such as pass block win rate, impact on their team’s success on offense, leadership, snap count (durability), and strength of opponents faced.
While some of these are still somewhat subject, the process is easier to understand compared to other NFL awards that are voted by journalists and usually have no official criteria.
With that in mind, let’s look at the most likely winners for 2025-26.
2025-26 NFL Protector of the Year Favorites
It should come as no surprise that the top three favorites in the latest NFL Protector of the Year award odds play the most important position on the O-Line, tackle.
Penei Sewell (+450)
Detroit drafted Penei Sewell with the seventh pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since joining the Lions, Sewell has been one of the most dominant tackles in the league. He has never missed a start and has made three consecutive Pro Bowls.
The captains for the Lions in 2025 are:
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
• OL Penei Sewell
• QB Jared Goff
• DE Aidan Hutchinson
• LB Alex Anzalone
• ST/ LB Grant Stuard pic.twitter.com/xIU99BUGLE— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 1, 2025
Sewell has also made the First-Team All-Pro roster in back-to-back years. He finished 11th in Offensive Player of the Year voting last season.
The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the league, and Sewell is a key part of it. If Detroit’s offense continues to control the line of scrimmage week in and week out, then Sewell will be a top contender for Protector of the Year.
Lane Johnson (+600)
Speaking of dominant linemen in the NFC, Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson is listed at 6-1 odds to win Protector of the Year. Johnson has made five All-Pro teams in his career and has been voted to six Pro Bowls.
Expectations are high for Johnson and the rest of the Eagles this season. If Philly fails to live up to their Super Bowl hopes, that could reflect poorly on Johnson. He is also 35 years old, which makes him more prone to injury.
Philadelphia arguably has the best offensive line in the league. The talent around Johnson on the o-line will make it hard for the veteran to stand out as the most valuable lineman this year.
Trent Williams (+700)
Rounding out the top three in the opening Protector of the Year odds for the 2025 season is Trent Williams. The 37-year-old would undoubtedly have multiple Protector of the Year trophies if the award existed before now.
Trent Williams is a professional bully 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ua50Yjx2fL
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) August 23, 2025
Williams has four All-Pro nominations and 11 Pro Bowl seasons in his 14-year career. At +700, Williams has an implied win probability of 12.5%.
His career accomplishments are even more impressive given Williams’s injury history. He missed seven games last year and has not played a full season since 2013. If he misses significant time again this year, Williams could cost himself a shot at Protector of the Year.
Best Protector of the Year Sleepers
A new NFL award is the perfect opportunity for betting on sleepers. My top two dark horses to be the inaugural Protector of the Year are Tristan Wirfs and Ronnie Stanley.
Protector of the Year Prediction and Betting Pick
The best linemen finally have an award to recognize their talents, and you can bet on their accomplishments with the latest Protector of the Year odds. My top pick to win the inaugural award is Tristan Wirfs (+2500).
Penei Sewell is the favorite at +450, but I expect the Lions to take a step back after losing both their coordinators. Wirfs, on the other hand, was voted as the best tackle this summer by league executives, coaches, and scouts.
He should also benefit from Tampa Bay’s weak division, so backing him at +2500 is a no-brainer.
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