Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Several dominoes have fallen so far in Week 16 with respect to the NFL’s playoff picture. The Cowboys have been eliminated while the Patriots, Seahawks, Bears, Eagles and 49ers have locked in a postseason berth.
The final two weeks of the campaign will determine the remaining playoff spots, but they will also sort out the top of the draft order. Six teams remain within striking distance of the No. 1 pick, although the Titans’ win on Sunday greatly weakened their chances of landing the top selection for the second year in a row. One contest in particular will be worth monitoring next week with respect to draft positioning.
The Giants and Raiders each sport a record of 2-13. They will play each other in Week 17, meaning the loser of that contest will have the inside track for the No. 1 pick. New York already has a head coaching vacancy while Pete Carroll is in danger of going one-and-done in Vegas. Plenty of incentive for winning will exist for Carroll in particular, but the outcome of that game will have major implications on the draft order.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-13)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
- Cleveland Browns (3-12)
- New York Jets (3-12)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
- Tennessee Titans (3-12)
- Washington Commanders (4-11)
- New Orleans Saints (5-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
- Miami Dolphins (6-9)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
- Detroit Lions (8-7)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Carolina Panthers (8-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
- Houston Texans (10-5)
- Buffalo Bills (11-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
- Chicago Bears (11-4)
- New England Patriots (12-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
Joe Burrow Comments Aimed At Applying Pressure On Bengals?
The Bengals are not expected to fire Zac Taylor or de facto GM Duke Tobin. A second Taylor extension (in 2023) is believed to have taken place, moving his contract through the 2027 season. That offers the former Super Bowl coach some protection, as does the Bengals’ conservative way of doing business. But the team may have a Joe Burrow problem on its hands.
Cincinnati is set to miss the playoffs for the third straight season. That occurring in Burrow’s prime is an indictment of the team’s roster, though Burrow injuries in 2023 and ’25 have contributed heavily to the team’s struggles since the 2022 AFC championship game. Still, the 2024 season showed the burden Burrow has needed to carry. With defensive improvement not exactly coming this season, the Bengals did not reenter the AFC North race when their superstar quarterback came off IR last month.
[RELATED: Bengals Rejected Dolphins’ Four-First-Rounder Offer In 2020]
The sixth-year quarterback’s comments about his happiness (or lack thereof) playing football drew leaguewide attention, and while Burrow stopped short of saying he expected to be elsewhere in 2026, he did not do the same regarding a post-Cincinnati career chapter when asked that specific question. In Burrow’s mind, the Bengals have to “play perfect” to win, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport offers, noting the passer’s comments this week look to be aimed at applying some pressure on the organization.
Burrow went to this well last year, launching a campaign for the team to keep Tee Higgins despite previous rumors pointing the high-end No. 2 wide receiver out of town. Burrow also campaigned for Trey Hendrickson to be paid, but the All-Pro defensive end — after an injury-marred season — is likely to walk in free agency.
Powerful players applying pressure on teams is not new, of course. Cavaliers and Lakers fans have seen LeBron James operate this way over the past decade, but Burrow does not have a contract set to expire now or in the near future to use as leverage. He signed a five-year, $275MM Bengals extension that runs through the 2029 season. Cincinnati can hold this over its franchise centerpiece, though the team does have a history with a player effectively forcing his way out despite being contracted long term.
Carson Palmer chose the nuclear option in 2011, staging a quasi-retirement as a way to have the Bengals trade him. An eight-year Bengal, Palmer became frustrated with the franchise’s thriftiness and eventually got his way when the Raiders — who lost then-starter Jason Campbell to injury before the 2011 trade deadline — gave up first- and second-round picks for the disgruntled QB. Palmer did not pan out with the Raiders, finding his form later with the Cardinals, but the Bengals landed starters Dre Kirkpatrick and Giovani Bernard with the picks while Andy Dalton performed well enough for several seasons. This reality playing out again, however, would be damning for the franchise; that would stand to make Burrow’s tactics worth monitoring closely.
The Bengals are known to play hardball with irritated players, as trade requests — like those from Higgins and Jonah Williams, to name two recent examples — are routinely batted down. Cincinnati brass can also point to listening to Burrow on Higgins, who joined Ja’Marr Chase in signing a lucrative extension this past offseason, and being active in free agency — far more so compared to their spending during Palmer and Dalton’s tenures — with Burrow in town.
Burrow, 29, can also point to shortcomings. The Bengals saw the 2020 No. 1 pick put up MVP-caliber numbers last season, returning from a major wrist injury, only to see the team go 9-8 and miss the playoffs. Taylor’s teams, this season’s 2-0 start notwithstanding, also started 0-2 in 2022, ’23 and ’24 with Burrow at the helm. Cincy has not fielded an above-average defense since 2022, with Al Golden not turning that unit around post-Lou Anarumo this year, and its offensive lines have not been confused with upper-crust units during Burrow’s career.
Burrow disillusionment comes as Josh Allen is set to lead the Bills to their seventh straight playoff field. Lamar Jackson may reach his seventh career postseason as well. Patrick Mahomes played in seven straight AFC championship games before the Chiefs’ disappointing 2025 season. Meanwhile, the Broncos and Patriots have rebuilt their operations behind younger quarterbacks. Those teams join the Chargers as status quo challengers to have emerged during the Bengals’ downturn.
How Burrow proceeds will be a defining 2026 offseason storyline, as numerous clubs would line up monster offers if he seriously pursued a Palmer-like path. We are still a ways away from that, it appears, but Burrow putting pressure on the Bengals does represent another stage in this relationship; the extension years have not gone well. A franchise not known to cave on player demands did appear to do so after Burrow pushed for Higgins to stay; will there be more specific Burrow passion projects in this coming offseason?
Poll: How Will Falcons Proceed With HC Raheem Morris, GM Terry Fontenot?
Entering the 2025 season, expectations were elevated for the Falcons. The first full year with Michael Penix Jr. atop the quarterback depth chart coupled with a renovated defense brought with it the possibility for a return to the playoffs. 
Atlanta’s most recent winning season came in 2017. Since then, the team has been mired in mediocrity (at best) while struggling through the post-Matt Ryan era. That stretch will continue through the end of 2025, a season in which improvements in some areas on defense have taken place. Nevertheless, the fate of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot remains unclear as the campaign winds down.
Owner Arthur Blank is in the process of evaluating the Falcons’ football operations. He will continue to do so through the remainder of the season before deciding on any changes along the sidelines and/or in the front office. The veteran owner offered an endorsement of both Morris and Fontenot in August, but things have not gone according to plan since then.
Injuries to Penix – a well-documented concern in his case upon entering the NFL – and others on offense have hindered the Falcons on that side of the ball. The team’s defense has, on the other hand, enjoyed a resurgence in the pass rush department after years of struggling on that front. That is of course thanks in large part to the pair of first-round rookies the Falcons have along the edge.
After drafting Jalon Walker last April, Fontenot traded back into the Day 1 order to select James Pearce. As a result of the move, Atlanta’s 2026 first-rounder (which could very well end up being a top-10 pick) will belong to the Rams. That is an illustration of how far the Falcons have fallen short of expectations this year.
Fontenot drew criticism for the team’s succession plan – or lack thereof – once Ryan’s Atlanta tenure ended. Efforts were made to add short- and long-term stability under center last spring when the Penix selection was preceded by the Kirk Cousins signing. Eyebrows were raised at how Atlanta handled the situation, and since being benched late last season Cousins has been the subject of speculation regarding his future.
The four-time Pro Bowler’s contract makes a trade unlikely, although Penix’s injury highlights the need for veteran depth of some kind. Still, Fontenot’s track record (five years and counting with a mark no better than 8-9) could lead to a reset and a new voice being trusted to sort out Atlanta’s direction at the QB spot moving forward. Likewise, Morris is not viewed as being on solid footing.
Atlanta reunited with the 49-year-old during the 2024 hiring cycle, doing so after taking a long look at Bill Belichick. The Falcons managed to win on Sunday, but that only moved their 2025 record to 5-9. Morris thus has an overall mark of 35-56 as a head coach taking into account his time in Tampa Bay along with his interim HC stint with Atlanta in 2020. The decision this past offseason to replace defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake with Jeff Ulbrich has not yielded the desired improvement in many categories on that side of the ball. Given Morris’ defensive background, that could prove to be a factor working against him.
A report from earlier this month indicated a head coaching change this offseason is essentially considered inevitable. No public developments since then have suggested Morris is any likelier to be retained or fired, and the final two games of the season could sway Blank’s thinking. There are currently two HC openings around the NFL, but more vacancies will no doubt emerge after the regular season ends.
Whether or not the list of openings on the sidelines and/or in the front office winds up including Atlanta will be one of the team’s central storylines through the coming weeks. Fontenot had a lengthy spell with the Saints before taking his first GM gig in Atlanta. Morris, meanwhile, has drawn praise for his work as a defensive coordinator and another DC gig could await him in the event he were to be dismissed by the Falcons for a second time.
How do you see the team proceeding on this front? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.
Matt Nagy Considered ‘Serious Candidate’ For Titans’ HC Job
Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is considered a “serious candidate” for the Titans head coaching job, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Ironically, Chiefs are playing in Tennessee on Sunday. The Titans cannot discuss their head coaching vacancy with Nagy, but he will get an up-close look at the roster he would inherit if he gets the job.
Nagy, 47, has been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator for the last three seasons. He has worked under Andy Reid for virtually all of his NFL coaching career, starting in Philadelphia in 2008. Nagy followed Reid to Kansas City in 2013 as the team’s quarterbacks coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2016. He took over play-calling at the end of the 2017 season and was hired by the Bears as their head coach in the subsequent offseason.
In his debut season in Chicago, Nagy led the Bears to a 12-4 record and a first-place finish in the NFC North. Those are still the team’s best results since 2006, though the 2025 Bears could reach 13 wins this season.
Nagy’s Bears regressed in his next three years with two seasons at 8-8, and a 6-11 finish in 2021 was enough to get him fired. He returned to Kansas City as a senior offensive assistant and took over as offensive coordinator after Eric Bieniemy‘s departure.
The Chiefs offense statistically got worse under Nagy. After six straight years with top-six finishes in both points score and total offense, they have not been able to reach the same heights in either category since. Instead, Kansas City’s runs to the Super Bowl in 2023 and 2024 were largely powered by their top-10 defense.
Nagy’s top priority in Tennessee would be developing No. 1 pick Cam Ward, but he does not have a strong history with young quarterbacks. Mitch Trubisky put up a career-best season under Nagy in 2018, but could not replicate those results in the next two seasons. Justin Fields looked lost as a rookie in Nagy’s final year in Chicago, and upon returning to Kansas City, he immediately got to work with a veteran Patrick Mahomes.
The Titans are also expected to reach out to several defensive coordinators, per Russini, including Lou Anarumo (Colts), Jeff Hafley (Packers), Anthony Campanile (Jaguars), Chris Shula (Rams), Matt Burke (Texans), and Jesse Minter (Chargers). However, hiring a defensive head coach with the intention to bring in a young offensive coordinator to work with Ward runs the risk of that OC being poached by another team as their head coach.
Chiefs Fear Torn ACL For Gardner Minshew
Sunday’s action represented the second straight game in which a Chiefs quarterback exited due to a knee injury. Gardner Minshew was unable to finish Kansas City’s Week 16 contest, and he will not be expected to return this season. 
The Chiefs fear Minshew tore his ACL, as first reported by Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com. He and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report further testing will take place, including an MRI. Based on the initial indications, though, Minshew seems to be on track for a lengthy recovery just like Patrick Mahomes.
[RELATED: Previewing Chiefs’ Upcoming Roster Challenges]
Late last week, Mahomes suffered his own ACL tear during the game which ensured Kansas City’s playoff elimination. That set up Minshew to handle QB1 duties the rest of the way, but instead he is now in store for a lengthy spell out of the picture. Mahomes is of course not in danger of having his Chiefs tenure come to an end any time soon, but Minshew is a pending free agent.
Following a brief Jacksonville stint and two years as a backup in Philadelphia, Minshew spent one year with the Colts and another with the Raiders. He totaled 22 starts over that period, but upon reaching the open market this past spring the 29-year-old was viewed as a high-floor backup option. That was confirmed when he became Kansas City’s latest veteran QB2. Presuming further tests confirm an ACL tear, Minshew’s value for 2026 will obviously take a serious hit.
Chris Oladokun handled quarterback duties after Minshew went down. The former seventh-round pick will presumably continue to do so for the Chiefs’ two remaining games this season. Oladokun is also a pending free agent, so Kansas City’s QB room could look much different by the start of the 2026 campaign. Mahomes’ progress in recovery will of course be a major storyline for the team over the coming months, but Minshew is in danger of finding himself in the same situation for the offseason.
Saints TE Taysom Hill Unsure Of Future
Sunday marked the end of the Saints’ home schedule for 2025. For a number of veterans, Week 16 could therefore represent their final game played in New Orleans. 
That may well be the case for Taysom Hill. The veteran tight end (among many other positions/roles over the years) is a pending free agent, and it remains to be seeen what will happen in his case. When speaking after the game, Hill reflected on his Saints tenure and acknowledged (via John Hendrix of NewOrleans.Football) he is unsure of what the future holds.
“As I was driving to the stadium today, you start to think about the last nine years and what it’s meant to me and my family,” the former UDFA said (via Hendrix). “This city and stuff. I think for me personally that you try to take it all in.”
Hill has played each of his 121 combined regular and postseason games as a member of the Saints. The 35-year-old could add another two to that total as the campaign comes to an end. Beyond that point, it will be interesting to see how team and player proceed in this case. An ACL tear limited Hill to just eight games in 2024, and he produced only 95 scrimmage yards this season entering Sunday’s game.
The Saints have Juwan Johnson under contract through 2027, and fellow veteran tight end Foster Moreau could be retained as depth at the position this coming offseason. New Orleans has other options at the TE spot as well, and it would come as a surprise if Hill were to be kept in the fold merely as an emergency quarterback or strictly to play on special teams. As such, the team’s rebuilding efforts could lead to a parting of ways shortly.
Hill set a career high with 33 catches and 291 yards in 2023; he added 401 yards on the ground that year while scoring six total touchdowns. In the event he reaches free agency, suitors could look to the BYU product as a depth addition on offense. For now, though, Hill’s attention will be aimed at the final two weeks of the season while the Saints aim to continue what is now a three-game winning streak. After that, it is unclear if retirement will receive consideration or if Hill will look to continue his career in New Orleans or elsewhere next season.
Jets, TE Jeremy Ruckert Agree To Extension
DECEMBER 21: Ruckert received $4.74MM in new guarantees, as detailed by Over the Cap. That includes a $3MM signing bonus and his base salary for next season. Ruckert’s new pact also contains per-game roster bonuses worth up to $510K on an annual basis.
DECEMBER 17: The Jets and tight end Jeremy Ruckert have agreed to a two-year, $10MM contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The deal could max out at $11MM.
The Ruckert extension is the second one general manager Darren Mougey has doled out since last week. The team previously reached a two-year, $11MM agreement with center Josh Myers on Dec. 12.
Unlike Myers, who joined the Jets as a free agent, Ruckert is a homegrown product. With prior GM Joe Douglas at the helm, the Jets used a third-round pick on Ruckert in 2022. The former Ohio State Buckeye caught just one pass in nine games as a rookie, but his usage and production have increased since then.
After combining for 34 catches and 256 yards in 32 games from 2023-24, Ruckert has racked up career highs in receptions (20) and yards (163) in 14 contests this season. He hauled in his first career touchdown in Week 2.
Ruckert spent the previous couple of seasons working as a complementary piece behind starting tight end Tyler Conklin. While Conklin left for the Chargers in free agency last March, Ruckert has again served as the Jets’ No. 2 TE this year. Rookie Mason Taylor, a second-round pick, has established himself as one of the only real threats in the Jets’ offense. Taylor ranks first among Jets skill players in snap share (75%).
Despite Taylor’s presence, Ruckert has still seen a good amount of playing time in first-year coordinator Tanner Engstrand‘s run-first offense. The 25-year-old has played a career-high 43.2% of snaps. Ruckert has also been on the field for 26.9% of special teams plays.
Ruckert was just a few months from hitting the open market for the first time. Keeping him in the fold takes a little bit off Mougey’s plate ahead of the offseason. Running back Breece Hall, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, guards John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker, and linebacker Quincy Williams are among notable Jets still on track to reach free agency in March.
Cowboys To Evaluate DC Matt Eberflus After 2025 Season
In recent weeks, Matt Eberflus‘ stock has taken a number of hits. That continued today during the Cowboys’ lopsided loss against the Chargers. 
Dallas lost 34-17 to Los Angeles on Sunday. The Cowboys entered Week 16 ranked 31st in scoring defense and and dead last against the pass. Especially with those figures emerging after mid-season reinforcements (via trade and players returning to health) on defense, Eberflus’ job security has increasingly become a talking point.
No moves in the immediate future will be coming on the sidelines, though. When speaking to the media after the game, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) there will not be any firings made during the final two weeks of the season. Full evaluation of all coaches – which of course includes Eberflus – will take place after the campaign has ended.
That ensures Eberflus will remain in place for two more weeks at a minimum. Beyond that point, though, it will be interesting to see if the former Bears head coach is retained for 2026 or not. Dallas has struggled in numerous departments on defense for much of the season, one in which a turnaround seemed to be taking place during a three-game winning streak. Since then, however, the Cowboys have dropped three in a row while allowing at least 34 points each time.
Eberflus has received an endorsement on multiple occasions in 2025. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and COO Stephen Jones are among those who have backed the 55-year-old, but things have not gone according to plan on defense for most of the year. Mike Zimmer proved to be a one-and-done defensive coordinator for Dallas in 2024, and a similar situation could be playing out in Eberflus’ case.
“I should, if I’m anything, know and have accessibility to the greatest choices that you could have regarding coaches,” Jones said (via Machota). “That doesn’t mean you can get them all, because they may be committed in other ways. But one of the great things about where we are and what we got is we can get good coaches. That’s not crossed my mind, as far as the inability to effectively do something different if that’s what we decide.”
Based on those comments, Jones and the Cowboys will certainly look into the possibility of finding a new DC through an external hire or an internal promotion. Eberflus is a familiar face in the organization based on his tenure as LBs coach from 2011-17, something which will no doubt factor into the team’s decision. A final call will not be made for the time being, but the possibility of a firing shortly after the season ends will remain something to watch for.
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins Suffers Fractured Fibula, Dislocated Ankle
5:01pm: Judkins is facing a recovery timeline of four to five months, Cabot reports. That should allow him to fully heal with plenty of time before training camp.
4:18pm: Quinshon Judkins‘ 2025 season has come to an end. The rookie running back suffered a fractured fibula along with a dislocated ankle in today’s game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced. 
Stefanski confirmed (via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Judkins will undergo surgery. Once that takes place, a lengthy recovery process will begin. This development marks an abrupt and unwanted end to Judkins’ debut campaign in the NFL.
The second-round pick was arrested in July on charges of battery and domestic violence. Those were ultimately dropped, something which paved the way for a fully-guaranteed rookie contract to be signed just before the start of the regular season. Judkins wound up being activated in time for Week 2, and he was in the fold from that point on.
That run of availability came to an end when the 22-year-old was carted off the field during today’s contest against the Bills. Not long after that took place, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported a fibula fracture had occurred. Testing to evaluate a potential knee injury took place, and it appears nothing was revealed on that front. That represents a small consolation, but today’s news is still a notable blow to Cleveland’s offense late in the year.
Having elected not to re-sign Nick Chubb, the Browns relied heavily on Judkins once he joined the lineup. The Ohio State product notched double-digit carries 12 times in 13 games entering Sunday, including five games with 20 or more attempts. Judkins totaled 947 scrimmage yards prior to suffering the injury. He will look to build off that production once healthy in 2026.
The Browns also have Jerome Ford in the backfield to close out the campaign. Rookie Dylan Sampson is another candidate to receive an increased workload over the final two games of the season. Cleveland sits at 3-12 after today’s loss, so attention will increasingly turn to the team’s position in the first round of April’s draft. Efforts to end on a winning note have been dealt a blow with Judkins sidelined, though.
Marcus Freeman’s Desire To Depart Notre Dame Unclear; Latest On Giants’ Interest
Not long after the Giants dismissed head coach Brian Daboll, Marcus Freeman emerged as a potential replacement candidate. The Notre Dame coach is still under contract, though, and he is positioned to remain among the best-compensated college staffers in the country moving forward. 
It was reported earlier this month that Freeman is indeed on New York’s list of interview targets for the head coaching spot. The 39-year-old’s stock has risen throughout his time leading the Fighting Irish, making him one of the top candidates for the upcoming hiring cycle. The Giants remain a team to watch closely regarding Freeman at this point.
SNY’s Connor Hughes confirms as much, although he adds to no surprise the matter of New York’s interest is not the only factor in play. It remains to be seen how willing Freeman will be to depart Notre Dame to take an NFL gig in general and the Giants’ in particular. The Irish have gone 43-12 during his four full seasons at the helm, and expectations will remain high for the 2024 national runners-up for years to come.
Of course, things could change on that front if Freeman were to jump to the NFL. Interest from teams other than the Giants would come as no surprise once interview season begins. In the event New York were to land Freeman, Hughes notes Mike Kafka could remain in the organization. Kafka – who began the year as the Giants’ offensive coordinator – took on the interim HC role after Daboll’s firing. Per Hughes, he could return to the OC spot if Freeman were to be hired as head coach.
Kafka himself represents one option for the Giants in their upcoming HC search, along with current NFL defensive coordinators such as Jeff Hafley (Packers) and Lou Anarumo (Colts). The future of general manager Joe Schoen is unclear at this point, although he expects to continue in his current capacity for a fifth season. Whether or not his presence – should that expectation be met – proves to be a deterrent for the top candidates will make for an intriguing storyline.
In the meantime, Freeman’s attention will turn to his NFL suitors. His decision on accepting a pro job (in New York or elsewhere) will represent one of the key dominoes in the 2026 hiring cycle.