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Updated NFL Draft Order after Week 18: Bears clinch No. 1 pick

By Josh Hill

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 08: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 08: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 08, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The regular season has come to an end, and while the playoffs are on everyone’s mind the NFL Draft Order has been mostly set in place. 

There was a lot on the line for the NFL Playoff Picture in Week 18, but things were just as chaotic at the bottom of the standings.

Neither the Chicago Bears nor Houston Texans were anywhere near the playoff race, but both came into the final week of the season with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft hanging in the balance. It looked for most of the season like the Texans would be picking first, but the Bears lost their final 10 games of the season to storm back into the conversation for the top pick.

It all came down to two games that otherwise would be footnotes in Week 18. Houston went to the wire with Indianapolis, while the Bears got roasted by the Minnesota Vikings. For most of the afternoon, it was looking like Chicago was going to sneak into the top spot, but Houston remembered who they were in the fourth quarter and allowed the Colts to come all the way back and take a lead.

But Houston tied the game with under a minute left on a 4th and 20 Hail Mary and went for two points to take a last-second lead. The victory cost the Texans the No. 1 pick and moved the Bears into the top spot.

Updated NFL Draft Order after Week 18

It was far more dramatic than had any business being, going down to the wire, but the race for the No. 1 pick was almost as intense as the playoff races on the line in Week 18.

Beyond the No. 1 pick, there’s a lot to unpack in the Top 10. Two teams fighting for the playoffs were also in line for Top 5 picks, as the Lions and Seahawks experienced the best of both worlds in ways few other teams did.

Detroit owns Los Angeles’ first-round pick this year by way of the Matthew Stafford trade, while Seattle owns Denver’s first-round pick from the Russell Wilson trade. No team is sitting as pretty as the Philadelphia Eagles, though, who are the No. 1 seed in the NFC but will also pick in the Top 15 thanks to owning the New Orleans Saints first-round pick this year.

Here’s a look at the NFL Draft Order now that the regular season is in the books:

Note: This will be updated after the late games and SNF. The current order reflects results of the early slate of games. 

  1. Chicago Bears (3-14)
  2. Houston Texans (3-13-1)
  3. Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
  4. Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
  5. Seattle Seahawks – From Denver Broncos (5-12)
  6. Detroit Lions – From Los Angeles Rams (5-12)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
  8. Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
  9. Carolina Panthers (7-10)
  10. Philadelphia Eagles – From New Orleans Saints (7-10)
  11. Tennessee Titans (7-10)
  12. Houston Texans – From Cleveland Browns (7-10)
  13. New York Jets (7-10)
  14. New England Patriots (8-9)
  15. Green Bay Packers (8-8)
  16. Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
  17. Detroit Lions (8-8)
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
  20. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
  21. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
  22. Miami Dolphins – Forfeited due to NFL violations
  23. New York Giants (9-7-1)
  24. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
  25. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
  26. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
  27. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
  28. Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
  29. Denver Broncos – From San Francisco 49ers (13-4)
  30. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
  31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
  32. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)

The question now is what will the Chicago Bears do with the No. 1 pick now that they’re officially on the clock? The obvious answer seems to be trading the pick, as there’s nothing the Bears can get with the top pick that is more valuable than trading down with a team that wants Bryce Young and collecting picks to build around Justin Fields.

But there’s now plenty of time to chew on that and many other questions as the top of the NFL Draft order is set.

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