Browns vs. Jaguars Odds, Pick: The NFL Preaseason Week 1 Game That Sharps Are Already Betting

Browns vs. Jaguars Odds

The 2021 NFL preseason officially starts on Aug. 5 when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys meet in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

However, the full 16-game schedule of preseason Week 1 games won't kick off until Aug. 12.

Browns vs. Jaguars, which will be played on Aug. 14, is interesting for a couple of reasons despite being an exhibition.

It could mark the first time we see Trevor Lawrence, the top overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, in action.

And second, despite what many think about betting on the NFL preseason, this is a game that has already attracted market-moving action from professional bettors.

Browns vs. Jaguars Pick

You may have your own opinion regarding the validity of betting on the NFL preseason, but professionals care about just one thing when making wagers: value.

This doesn't mean that wiseguys are going to napalm an entire board of NFL preseason games, but there are opportunities where numbers may be inflated or mispriced, and the Browns vs. Jaguars NFL preseason Week 1 matchup appears to be exactly that.

Cleveland, which has Super Bowl aspirations this season, opened as a 4-point road favorite against Jacksonville, which isn't all that surprising considering that the Jags won just one game all of last season.

However, according to Action Labs' Bet Signals, respected bettors liked the value with Jacksonville +4, steaming that number down to +3.5 across the NFL betting market.

Steam refers to a sudden influx of smart money hitting the same side of one game at a handful of sportsbooks, all at once.

From a high level, does it make sense that a team with a new head coach and a rookie starting quarterback may play its starters longer in a preseason game than one coming off an 11-5 season? Sure.

Does this mean everyone has to bet the Jaguars as well? Absolutely not.

The only thing we know for sure is that for whatever the reason may be, enough bettors with the respect to move NFL odds found value at Jacksonville +4, and the market has been adjusted accordingly.