Penei Sewell is once again the favorite in the preseason NFL Protector of the Year odds ahead of the 2026-27 season. Sewell was a finalist for the award but did not win it last season. Now, he and the other top lineman in the NFL will compete for the second-ever Protector of the Year award.
Read on to see the NFL Protector of the Year odds ahead of the season start. I analyze the odds for all the top linemen and give my pick for this year’s PotY.
2027-2027 NFL Protector of the Year Odds
See the table below for the latest 2026 NFL Protector of the Year odds.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Penei Sewell (DET) | +400 |
| Tristan Wirfs (TB) | +850 |
| Lane Johnson (PHI) | +1000 |
| Garrett Bolles (DEN) | +1000 |
| Creed Humphrey (KC) | +1000 |
| Joe Alt (LAC) | +1000 |
| Trent Williams (SF) | +1200 |
| Jordan Mailata (PHI) | +1400 |
| Quinn Meinerz (DEN) | +1400 |
| Quenton Nelson (IND) | +1600 |
| Chris Lindstrom (ATL) | +1600 |
Top NFL betting sites have Sewell as the +400 favorite to win Protector of the Year this season. For reference, he opened last year as the favorite at +450 odds.
Sewell had a good season individually, but the Lions regressed and finished last in the NFC North. His current odds give Sewell an implied win probability of 20%.
Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs has the second-best odds at +850. Then, four linemen, Lane Johnson (PHI), Garrett Bolles (DEN), Creed Humphrey (KC), and Joe Alt (LAC), are tied for third at 10-1 odds each.
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 2026 panel includes the following voters:
-
- LeCharles Bentley
- Jason Kelce
- Andrew 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 2026-27.
2026-27 NFL Protector of the Year Favorites
Sewell and Wirfs are the best and second-best odds to win Protector of the Year this season. Of the four players tied for third, I think Creed Humphrey has the edge over the rest of the pack, so let’s talk about the most likely winners.
Penei Sewell (+400)
Sewell and the Lions are gearing up for what should be a bounce back season. After finishing last in the NFC North last year, the Lions have the best odds to win the division in 2026-27.
The Lions need Sewell at his best if Detroit is going to live up to the hype. He is the top-ranked player in PFF’s tackle rankings going into the season. He has finished as the top-rated lineman in two of the last three years.
Penei Sewell sprinting and laughing down the field after this Jameson Williams catch 😂
The Detroit Lions offense is going to be ELECTRIC this season
(🎥: @Lions | #OnePride) pic.twitter.com/QHcYKxjpqd
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) August 21, 2026
After years dominating as an RT, Sewell is slated to play LT this year, replacing Taylor Decker. There is no questioning Sewell’s skill level, and moving to LT increases his potential impact. He has also been extremely durable, missing just one game in his NFL career.
On paper, Sewell checks all the boxes needed for Protector of the Year, except for one. The Lions face only two teams that finished in the top 10 in sacks last season: Minnesota and New Orleans. Sewell will have to be stellar at LT to overcome his relatively weak schedule.
Tristan Wirfs (+850)
Speaking of versatile tackles, Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs has the second-best odds to win Protector of the Year at +850. Wirfs was not a finalist last year, but he is the second-ranked tackle according to PFF ahead of the 2026 season.
Despite missing five games last year, Wirfs made the Pro Bowl. It was his fifth straight PB nod in his six-year NFL career. He also has two 1st-Team and one 2nd-Team All-Pro seasons on his resume so far.
Assuming he is healthy, Wirfs should be in All-Pro discussions again. He played a career-low 778 snaps in 2025 but only allowed two sacks.
Wirfs has one key advantage over many other linemen this season: his schedule. Tampa Bay plays nine games against defenses that were top 10 in sacks last season, including the Browns, Vikings, Steelers, Falcons (2x), Lions, Saints (2x), and Rams.
If he plays well against that many great pass rushers, Wirfs will have a better strength of schedule than just about any other Protector of the Year hopeful.
Creed Humphrey (+1000)
Creed Humphrey is tied for the third-best PotY odds at 10-1 and has the shortest odds of any center. Humphrey and the Chiefs had the worst season of the Patrick Mahomes Era last year, finishing 6-11 and losing their last six games.
The team struggled, but Humphrey still had a great season. He was one of two centers to be named a Protector of the Year finalist last year.
No. 94 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Chiefs C Creed Humphrey! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/ejqSQYJNDr
— NFL (@NFL) June 25, 2026
Patrick Mahomes is back, and the team should be better, putting Humphrey in a better position for this award. He will be tested early as KC hosts the Broncos in Week 1. Denver led the NFL last year with 68 sacks, 11 more than any other team.
In addition to playing Denver twice, Humphrey also faces the Chargers (2x), Rams, Falcons, and Seahawks. All of them finished in the top 10 last year with 45+ sacks.
KC also added Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III in the offseason. Humphrey can boost his PotY chances by helping the Chiefs establish a running game with Walker, something they have not had consistently since Andy Reid came to town.
Best Protector of the Year Sleepers
Chicago’s Joe Thuney opened at 22-1 odds to win Protector of the Year last year and went on to win the award in its inaugural season, so you shouldn’t ignore tark horses. My top sleepers for the award this year are Tyler Linderbaum (+1800) and Peter Skoronski (+2500).
Protector of the Year Prediction and Betting Pick
My pick to win Protector of the Year in 2026 is the Chiefs’ center, Creed Humphrey. The former Oklahoma Sooner has been one of the best linemen in the NFL since he entered the league. He has made four straight Pro Bowls and been the 1st-Team All-Pro center in back-to-back seasons.
A third straight All-Pro season will make Humphrey a lock to be a PotY finalist. Assuming Mahomes is healthy, the Chiefs should bounce back and return to the playoffs. Humphrey was a finalist last year but did not win due to a lack of team success. If the Chiefs return to the postseason, that box will be checked, making Humphrey a virtual lock for the award. His +1000 odds also offer great value in this preseason market.
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