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You can count the oddsmakers in Vegas among those impressed by the Indianapolis Colts' draft, as the team's Super Bowl odds have improved in the most recent odds released by Bovada today.
After the Broncos' Super Bowl victory this past season, Bovada's initial odds had the Colts at 25/1 to win the Super Bowl, and the odds remained the same through the first few days of free agency, when the updated odds were released on March 14. The Colts' odds finally changed in the latest update, however, as after the draft the Colts have improved to 22/1 odds to win the Super Bowl, tied for the ninth-best odds in the league.
Here's the top ten in the most recent post-draft odds:
New England Patriots - 7/1
Seattle Seahawks - 8/1
Green Bay Packers - 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers - 10/1
Carolina Panthers - 11/1
Arizona Cardinals - 14/1
Denver Broncos - 16/1
Cincinnati Bengals - 18/1
Dallas Cowboys - 22/1
Indianapolis Colts - 22/1
Minnesota Vikings - 22/1
It is worth noting that of the top twelve teams (the Chiefs are 12th), the only two who did not make the playoffs last year are the Colts and the Cowboys, who are tied for the ninth-best odds at 22/1. The Colts were one of eleven NFL teams to see their Super Bowl odds increase following the draft, while nine teams saw their odds decrease.
It makes sense for people to be a bit more optimistic about the Colts after the draft, as the team made it a priority to protect Andrew Luck - something that the majority of outside observers thought they needed to do. The Colts used their first round pick to add a legitimate starting center in Ryan Kelly, and then they also added talented linemen in Le'Raven Clark, Joe Haeg, and Austin Blythe. The focus of the draft was on protecting Luck, and as a result the Colts' odds at winning the Super Bowl have improved. That doesn't mean much this time of year, of course, as we all remember that last year the Colts were near the top of these lists. At the same time, however, it does go to show that the Colts are still being considered among the contenders as a top-ten team and that their draft helped to solidify that status.