Everyone expects Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier to have his best season as a professional in 2017 and while he’s certainly not the favorite to win the league’s annual Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017, the latest odds released by Bovada suggest he has an outside chance.
According to Bovada, Shazier is currently listed with 22/1 odds to win the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017 and only six other players are listed as having lower odds.
To nobody’s surprise, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (7/2) is the current favorite to win the annual award on the defensive side of the football in 2017 and he’s followed by Khalil Mack (5/1) Von Miller (5/1), Joey Bosa (9/1), Aaron Donald (14/1) and Luke Keuchly (14/1). Shazier, by the way, is one of seven players listed at 22/1.
In order to make a serious run at the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Award, Shazier will need to stay healthy for the entire season and that’s something he’s struggled to do so far during his first three years in the NFL. The former first-round draft pick out of Ohio State is currently battling through some sort of soft tissue injury during training camp and he’s missed the last several practices because of it.
Former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was the last Pittsburgh player to win the AP award for his 2010-2011 season. Current Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison also won the award for his play during the 2008-2009 season. Other former Steelers who have won the award include Joe Greene (twice), Mel Blount, Jack Lambert and Rod Woodson.
