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Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

January 5th, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Once again, we saw plenty of change occur in the projected draft order after Sunday’s games. Most notably, the Patriots took themselves out of the top overall draft slot with a win over the resting Bills. While this change likely won’t hurt their ability to select one of the players that interested them most, as they likely weren’t looking to select a quarterback with rookie Drake Maye in place, New England likely could’ve benefitted from collecting some serious draft capital trading out of the top spot to any of the teams seeking quarterback help next season.

One of those quarterback-needy teams, the Titans have officially secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, tying for the worst overall record in the league with the Browns and Giants but holding tiebreakers over both franchises. The Browns and Giants, who both secured the second and third overall picks, respectively, today, are also considered top candidates to draft a passer.

With all three teams at the top of the draft interested in adding help at quarterback, the draft’s top two prospects at the position, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, saw their chances at getting selected No. 1 overall rise dramatically. Plenty could still occur to change this situation; trades could alter the draft order, and further pre-draft evaluations could change opinions on top prospects.

Still, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, there is a chance that every team drafts in the first round, as no first-round picks have yet been traded. It’s extremely unlikely that this will remain the case, as draft-day trades are a very common occurrence, but it’s still an interesting concept to note this close to the draft.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s conclusion:

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

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

January 4th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 27 were eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.

This offseason also brought a second adjustment, with teams who qualify for the playoffs set to have two additional activations at their disposals. With the playoffs upon us, the two additional activations have been added to each team’s ledger. Here is how teams’ activation puzzles look going into Super Bowl LIX:

Kansas City Chiefs

Reverted to season-ending IR

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Eagles Activate TE Dallas Goedert

January 4th, 2025 at 7:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles will have their top tight end available in time for the postseason. Dallas Goedert was activated from injured reserve Saturday, the team announced.

Goedert landed on IR one month ago due to a knee injury, ensuring at least a four-game absence. After missing the minimum time, though, he was designated for return in an encouraging sign for his recovery. As a result, today’s move comes as little surprise.

The Eagles will be resting several starters tomorrow since they are locked into the NFC’s No. 2 seed. Goedert might not play in the regular season finale as a result, but he will be available for the wild-card round of the playoffs. Philadelphia will welcome his return to the lineup, something which will give the team its top pass-catcher at the TE position at a critical time. The 30-year-old has once again provided notable production in the passing game while serving as a complementary option to wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

Grant Calcaterra has seen an increased workload with Goedert sidelined recently, and his 68% offensive snap share for the season represents a career high. The latter will of course be expected to handle a notable workload upon returning to action, though. This move leaves the Eagles with three IR activations (along with the additional two they will receive for for the playoffs).

In addition to bringing Goedert into the fold, the Eagles have elevated linebacker Dallas Gant and defensive end Charles Harris for tomorrow’s game. Philadelphia will take on the Giants before the team turns its attention to a postseason matchup against the NFC’s No. 7 seed.

Looking At Pro Bowl Rosters’ Impact On Fifth-Year Option Statuses

January 3rd, 2025 at 11:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL unveiled the Pro Bowl rosters Thursday. While superstars and veterans tied to big-ticket contracts headline the AFC and NFC squads, rookie-contract players are part of both sides for an event no longer featuring an actual all-star game.

While the Pro Bowl’s prestige peak occurred decades ago, the 2020 CBA still ties invites to players’ value. Players selected to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot (non-alternates) will see their fifth-year option prices change. The 2025 offseason will be the fifth year in which players will see their option values determined partially by Pro Bowl recognition, but Thursday’s results will impact the 2026 and 2027 fifth-year option outcomes as well.

Players who receive two Pro Bowl invites during their first three seasons skyrocket to the top of the four-tiered fifth-year option hierarchy, which will feature a value that matches the amount of that year’s franchise tag at each position. Players who draw one original-ballot invite during their first three seasons will be tied to the second option tier, which matches the transition tag value at that position.

This only applies to former first-round picks, as no other rookie contracts include a fifth-year option. With that in mind, here are the players from the 2022, ’23 and ’24 first rounds to be invited to the Pro Bowl. Here are the ex-first-rounders who changed their option statuses this week:

2022 draft:

Baltimore’s two-first-rounder 2022 draft, made possible thanks to the Marquise Brown trade, produced two Pro Bowlers. This marks the second Pro Bowl for both Hamilton and Linderbaum, bringing both players to the top fifth-year option tier. For Linderbaum, that will inflate his price to that of the offensive line franchise tag number, since all O-lineman are grouped together under this formula. That will make a fifth-year option call trickier for the Ravens, who will certainly pick up Hamilton’s by the May deadline.

This is Stingley’s first Pro Bowl, which will push the former No. 3 overall pick’s 2026 option price into the second tier among corners. Patrick Surtain‘s four-year, $96MM extension raised the bar at the position this summer, and the Texans will be able to negotiate with their top corner beginning later this month. This is Smith’s first Pro Bowl nod as well; he was named an alternate to the 2023 event.

2023 draft:

While Thursday’s announcement crystalized the value of the 2022 first-rounders with regards to the fifth-year option, the ’23 Round 1 crop still has more time. Witherspoon has landed in the Pro Bowl a second time, locking the former No. 5 overall pick into the top echelon of the CB option structure.

Conversely, this is the first original-ballot Pro Bowl for Carter, Flowers and Gibbs. The Lions running back was an alternate last season. The trio’s 2025 showings will determine if they can join Witherspoon on the highest level of the 2026 option hierarchy.

2024 draft:

The NFL’s top rookies have begun to raise their values. Although the Commanders, Raiders and Rams do not have to make option calls on this trio until May 2027, each player has already secured at least second-tier status for when that time comes. They are unlikely to stay on that level. Daniels is on track to claim Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, while Bowers has already broken Mike Ditka‘s longstanding record for tight end yardage by a rookie. Verse, the first Rams first-round pick since Jared Goff, is on track for Defensive Rookie of the Year acclaim.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/1/25

January 1st, 2025 at 7:58pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the NFL’s minor moves on New Year’s Day:

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed to active roster from Buccaneers’ practice squad: DE Earnest Brown

Los Angeles Chargers

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

  • Signed to active roster from Commanders’ practice squad: DT Haggai Ndubuisi

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert Returns To Practice

January 1st, 2025 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dallas Goedert went down with a knee injury at the start of December. One month later, he is in position to return to the lineup, though. The veteran tight end has been designated for return, the Eagles announced on Wednesday.

Goedert’s injured reserve stint ensured at least a four-game absence. The fact he has returned to practice after missing the minimum amount of action is an encouraging sign. The Eagles will now have 21 days to activate him, although by virtue of being locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC the team has little need to rush Goedert back onto the field.

Still, he should be expected to be available in time for the wild-card round of the playoffs, something which will be a welcomed development for Philadelphia’s offense. Goedert has remained a steady presence in the team’s passing attack, averaging 11.6 yards per reception and recording a career-high 82.6% catch percentage. The soon-to-be 30-year-old will fall short of 50 receptions for the first time since 2020, but his presence will be key for the Eagles’ first postseason game.

The team’s offense has of course leaned heavily on Saquon Barkley and the ground game for much of the season, and the passing attack has dealt with inconsistency at times. Provided quarterback Jalen Hurts along with wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are healthy in time for the opening round of the playoffs, though, expectations will be high for the unit. Goedert will reprise his role atop the tight end depth chart upon return and thus serve as a key secondary option in the passing game.

The Eagles have four IR activations remaining, but like all other playoff teams they will soon receive two more. Bringing Goedert back into the fold before or after their regular season finale is therefore possible, but in any event his return will be a key development as the team eyes a Super Bowl run.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/31/24

December 31st, 2024 at 6:35pm CST by Ely Allen

New Year’s Eve practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

  • Signed: WR Jaxon Janke

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 30th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of changes took place regarding the projected draft order on Sunday. Most notably, the Giants’ first home win of the year took them out of the top spot and greatly lowered their chances of securing the No. 1 pick.

Instead, the Patriots are now in pole position to select first in April. New England already has Drake Maye in place, so adding another Day 1 passer would be out of the picture. With Travis Hunter being seen as the top overall prospect in the class, the Heisman winner could be a suitable target as a key figure in New England’s rebuilding process.

Meanwhile, a number of teams which could be in the market for a first-round passer are near the top of the order. That includes the Browns and Raiders, teams which each face uncertainty under center for 2025 despite already having a number of quarterbacks under contract beyond this season. Bringing in Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders would provide another short-term option for next year along with a potential long-term answer at the position. Plenty could still change in the order over Week 18, though, and the evaluation process of both of the top signal-callers in the class obviously has a long way to go.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

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

NFL Injury Updates: Eagles QB, Ford, Watts

December 29th, 2024 at 9:22pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles were able to pull out a dominant win over the Cowboys today despite playing nearly the entire second half with a third-string quarterback. Philadelphia started Kenny Pickett this week as usual starter Jalen Hurts continues to sit with a concussion, but rib injuries ended up taking Pickett out of the game, forcing Tanner McKee to make his NFL debut in the win.

Pickett came into the game with some rib issues, necessitating pain relief injections both before the game and at halftime. After taking a shot to the ribs early in the second half, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Pickett left the game headed for the X-ray room and did not return to the game.

McKee finished a game that was already very much out of hand, completing three of four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns in his first game action after getting drafted in the sixth round last year. At 13-3, the Eagles are locked into the 2-seed. Even if the Lions lose tomorrow night, the No. 1 overall seed will be decided in the Vikings’ trip to Detroit next week. The loser will get the 5-seed, and Philadelphia will be the second-best division-winner no matter what.

With that in mind, it would be no surprise to see McKee start week 18 against the Giants. The team is risking nothing but further injury, and they’d likely be thankful for the opportunity to give both the starter, Hurts, and the primary backup, Pickett, an extra week of recovery.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • The Browns continue to deal with injuries in the offensive backfield. Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and starting running back Nick Chubb are on injured reserve, and backup quarterback Jameis Winston was ruled out with a right shoulder injury before today’s game. Late in the first half of today’s loss to the Dolphins, Cleveland saw another backfield offensive player go down when running back Jerome Ford was landed on by right tackle Jack Conklin, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Ford appeared to suffer an injury to his right foot and/or ankle and did not return for the remainder of the game. The Browns finished the game with Pierre Strong and D’Onta Foreman at running back. With the final game of the season coming against one of the league’s top rushing defenses in Baltimore, Cleveland may be fielding a third-string quarterback and running back in their season finale.
  • The Giants saw veteran defensive tackle Armon Watts suffer what looked to be a serious knee injury today, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. The cart was immediately rushed out for Watts, and he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. While not likely to join IR like so many other defensive linemen on the team, Watts may have seen his last action of the season, regardless.

Eagles Activate Bryce Huff From IR

December 28th, 2024 at 5:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Eagles have activated defensive end Bryce Huff from injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Huff landed on IR on November 22 with a wrist injury that required surgery. He was designated to return on December 18 and suffered no setbacks in his two weeks of practice, setting him up to return to the lineup on Sunday against the Cowboys.

The Eagles will be hoping that Huff can be more effective heading towards the playoffs than he was to start the year. After a career-high 10.0 sacks in 2023 earned him a three-year, $51MM deal in free agency, Huff only recorded 2.5 sacks over his first 10 games in Philadelphia. His snap count already began to decrease before his injury, but fellow edge rusher Brandon Graham has since gone down with a triceps tear. Huff’s veteran teammate might be able to return deep in the playoffs, but until then, the Eagles will need Huff to recapture some of his 2023 form.

Huff’s activation was one of several Eagles roster moves on Saturday; the team also waived defensive end Charles Harris to make room for Huff on the 53-man roster. With Jalen Hurts sidelined, the Eagles promoted Ian Book from the practice squad to the active roster so he can serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback.

Wide receiver Britain Covey was placed on injured reserve for the second time this year, ending his regular season. Covey will be eligible to return in the playoffs if the Eagles make the NFC Championship game. Running back Tyrion Davis-Price and linebacker Dallas Gant were also elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s matchup with the Cowboys.

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