Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
Have you been waiting all day for Tuesday night? Thanks to COVID rescheduling, we still have two games to go in Week 15. While the Eagles, Rams, and the Washington Football Team are all jockeying for postseason berths/positioning, the Seahawks are — for all intents and purposes — out of playoff contention.
If the season ended today, the Seahawks would own a top ten pick…that is, if they owned it. The Jets, who hold the Seahawks’ 2022 first-round pick by way of the Jamal Adams trade, will be cheering for the Rams tonight.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Before the games begin, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
- Detroit Lions (2-11-1)
- Houston Texans (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- New York Giants (via Bears)
- New York Giants (4-10)
- Carolina Panthers (5-9)
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
- Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
- Washington Football Team (6-7)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Denver Broncos (7-7)
- New Orleans Saints (7-7)
- Cleveland Browns (7-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-7)*
- Buffalo Bills (8-6)*
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)*
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
- Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)*
- Tennessee Titans (9-5)*
- Arizona Cardinals (10-4)*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4)*
- New England Patriots (9-5)*
- Dallas Cowboys (10-4)*
- Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)*
- Green Bay Packers (11-3)*
* = Playoffs
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Nate Hall
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR Chad Hansen
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Daryl Worley
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: T Evin Ksiezarczyk
Carolina Panthers
- Released: RB Jacques Patrick
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Tegray Scales
Denver Broncos
- Signed: QB Anthony Gordon, TE Caleb Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Josh Watson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Released: CB Darqueze Dennard
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: C Drake Jackson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Dylan Mabin
New York Jets
- Signed: DE Freedom Akinmoladun, G Isaiah Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: G Nathan Gilliam
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
- Released: TE David Wells
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: S Shawn Williams
- Released: CB Will Sunderland
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
- Claimed: DE Azur Kamara (from Cowboys)
- Released from IR: T Matt Kaskey
- Placed on IR: DB A.J. Bouye
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: CB Thomas Graham
- Released: LB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: LB Keandre Jones
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Porter Gustin
- Released: TE Nick Guggemos, WR Alexander Hollins
- Placed on IR: Takkarist McKinley (story)
Denver Broncos
- Released: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, LB Pita Taumoepenu, T Casey Tucker, RB Kerrith Whyte, RB Damarea Crockett
- Placed on IR: FB Andrew Beck
Detroit Lions
- Released: CB Shakur Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Ron’Dell Carter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: RB, Carlos Hyde, S Rayshawn Jenkins (story)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Grant Haley, DB Damarious Randall
- Released: CB Delrick Abrams, T Adrian Ealy, TE Kyle Markway, C Austin Reiter
- Activated from IR: RB Jake Funk, LB Travin Howard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier
- Released: RB A.J. Rose, WR Darrius Shepherd
New York Giants
- Released: Jake Hausmann
New York Jets
- Claimed: DB Will Parks (from Dolphins)
- Placed on IR: TE Ryan Griffin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: G Jack Anderson
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Tyrell Adams
Seattle Seahawk
- Promoted: DT Myles Adams, RB Josh Johnson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: WR Chris Godwin, DE Pat O’Connor
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: RB Alex Armah, LB De’Jon Harris, QB Kyle Shurmur, T David Steinmetz
- Placed on IR: RB J.D. McKissic
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/20/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: TE David Wells
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: LB Pernell McPhee
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: OL Jacob Capra
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: OT Germain Ifedi
- Placed on IR: DB DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Promoted: DB Thomas Graham Jr., DB Michael Joseph, DB BoPete Keyes, DL LaCale London, WR Dazz Newsome, LB Charles Snowden, DB Dee Virgin, WR Nsimba Webster
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie (ACL)
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, DE Joe Jackson, G Hjalte Froholdt, RB John Kelly, CB Herb Miller, S Jovante Moffatt, S Tedric Thompson
- Signed to active roster: OT Alex Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: DE Azur Kamara
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: K Elliott Fry
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: CB Trayvon Mullen
- Activated from IR: TE Nick Bowers
- Promoted: G Lester Cotton, WR Tyron Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Claimed off waivers: CB Essang Bassey (from Broncos)
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: WR Landen Akers
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: RB Duke Johnson (story), S Sheldrick Redwine
- Waived: S Will Parks
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: S Myles Dorn, WR Myron Mitchell, CB Tye Smith
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: QB Jarren Williams
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: OT Sam Cosmi
Teddy Bridgewater Suffers Head Injury
Late in the third quarter of the Broncos’ loss to Cincinnati, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was carted off the field when he appeared to lose consciousness following a hard impact with the ground on a diving play. Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill applied a hit from behind mid-dive in an attempt to tackle the quarterback. The hit didn’t appear to be dirty or malicious in any way, but some combination of the dive, the hit, and the landing made for a scary scene in the Mile High Stadium.
Medical staff brought out a stretcher to stabilize Bridgewater and removed his facemask from his helmet. Bridgewater left strapped down on the cart and was taken to a hospital. The Denver Broncos have announced that these were all precautionary measures and that Bridgewater will stay overnight for further evaluation, but that everything has checked out well so far.
Bridgewater suffered a concussion earlier this year in a Week 4 loss to the Ravens, so taking every precaution to ensure his safety only makes sense. In the meantime, Bridgewater was immediately replaced by former starter Drew Lock and they have second-year quarterback Brett Rypien on the roster, as well.
The Broncos are surely hoping for a quick recovery from Bridgewater as they still find themselves firmly in the running for a wildcard spot in a wild AFC.
NFL COVID List Updates
We are trying our best here at Pro Football Rumors to keep up with all of the updates throughout the league concerning players on the reserve/COVID-19 list. A lot of teams had high hopes during today’s testing as they were trying to get players activated in time for Sunday’s slate of games.
Here are updates as of 8:30 PM ET, Sat 12/18:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chris Westry, WR Sammy Watkins
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Derrick Brown
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Eddie Goldman
- OC Bill Lazor, DC Sean Desai, STC Chris Tabor in COVID-19 protocols
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Takkarist McKinley
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T James Hudson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Trysten Hill, DT Osa Odighizuwa
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB P.J. Locke
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DB Bobby Price, DB Tracy Walker
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Jonathan Greenard, G Lane Taylor
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Zaire Franklin
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Antwaun Woods
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Darrell Henderson, CB Donte Deayon, TE Brycen Hopkins, OL Alaric Jackson, OLB Justin Hollins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Joseph Noteboom, CB Robert Rochell
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Jevon Holland
Minnesota Vikings
- Four Coaches in COVID-19 protocols
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Xavier McKinney
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Folorunso Fatukasi, Practice Squad LB Noah Dawkins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Breshad Perriman
Washington Football Team
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Jonathan Allen, DE James Smith-Williams, DE Casey Toohill, DE Montez Sweat
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
The Chiefs (9-4) and Chargers (8-5) are getting set to kick off Week 15 in a matchup that could decide the AFC West crown. Meanwhile, more than one-quarter of the NFL’s teams have either been mathematically or effectively eliminated from playoff contention.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record. (Ex: Washington would own the No. 19 pick if they were eliminated in the Wild Card round with the worst record of the group.)
With that in mind, here’s a look at the currently projected 2022 NFL Draft Order:
1. Detroit Lions (1-11-1)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11)
3. Houston Texans (2-11)
4. New York Jets (3-10)
5. New York Giants (via Bears)
6. New York Giants (4-9)
7. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
8. Carolina Panthers (5-8)
9. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
12. Minnesota Vikings (6-7)
13. New Orleans Saints (6-7)
14. Las Vegas Raiders (6-7)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1)
16. Denver Broncos (7-6)
17. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
18. Cleveland Browns (7-6)
19. Washington Football Team (6-7)*
20. Buffalo Bills (7-6)*
21. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)*
22. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
23. Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)*
24. Detroit Lions (via Rams)*
25. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)*
26. Dallas Cowboys (9-4)*
27. Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)*
28. Arizona Cardinals (10-3)*
29. Tennessee Titans (9-4)*
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3)*
31. New England Patriots (9-4)*
32. Green Bay Packers (10-3)*
* = Playoffs
Broncos Add S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, WR Travis Fulgham To Practice Squad
The Broncos have added two notable names to their practice squad. The team announced that they’ve signed safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and wideout Travis Fulgham to the taxi squad.
Clinton-Dix spent much of the offseason and preseason with the 49ers, but he was let go before the start of the regular season. He ended up spending much of the 2021 campaign on the Raiders practice squad, but he managed to get into 13 special teams snaps in two games with the organization. The 28-year-old was cut by the Raiders last week.
The Cowboys signed the former Pro Bowler in 2020 but released him before the start of the regular season. Prior to these struggles landing a steady gig, Clinton-Dix did not miss a game from 2014-19. He worked as a starter throughout that stretch, making the Pro Bowl with the Packers in 2016 and ranking as an upper-echelon safety (per Pro Football Focus) with the Bears in ’19. Clinton-Dix could end up being forced into Denver’s lineup if any of Kareem Jackson, Caden Sterns, and/or P.J. Locke are forced to miss Sunday’s game.
For an Eagles receiving corps decimated by injury last season, Travis Fulgham played a big role. He caught a game-winning touchdown pass to help the depleted Eagles past the 49ers and ended his season with 38 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to last season, however, Fulgham had never caught a pass as a pro. He was waived by the Eagles back in August, and he’s had brief stints on Philly and the Dolphins practice squad this year.
Latest On Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater
This past weekend, there were some rumbling that Broncos quarterback (and impending free agent) Teddy Bridgewater was eyeing a multiyear deal worth $25MM per season. However, the QB dismissed those rumors when speaking with reporters earlier today.
“Until it comes from me, it’s not true,” Bridgewater said (h/t to Andrew Mason on Twitter). “That’s what happens during this time of year. You see numbers come out. You try to put a value on a guy so that if things don’t work out with the team that he’s playing on, it’s, ‘Oh, he wanted too much money.’ I’ll tell you right now, I haven’t mentioned anything about a deal. My primary focus is trying to help this team win football games and trying to get into the playoffs. The rest will take care of itself. My job is to play football. All that other stuff, that’s for my agent and my advisors. I’m here to help this team be a better football team every day.”
Bridgewater’s agent was also quick to shoot down the reports.
“Teddy is focused on the season and winning football games,” the QB’s agent, Kennard McGuire, told Mike Klis of 9News on Twitter. “Anything outside of that is completely false.”
While it isn’t a surprise that Bridgewater and his camp denied the rumors, it’s also not outrageous to suggest that the quarterback could earn that kind of money in free agency. The 29-year-old is having one of his best NFL seasons, completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 2954 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions (he’s also added 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground). He’s also gone 7-6 as a starter and kept the Broncos in playoff contention. A $25MM salary would be middle-of-the-road among starting QBs, and with a rising cap, that could very well be the going rate for a player of Bridgewater’s caliber.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/21
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Tyrel Dodson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Cedrick Wilson
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Nahshon Wright
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: C Brett Jones
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers (from Titans): S Brady Breeze
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Josh Gordon
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Dalton Keene
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: C Will Clapp
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Kyle Murphy
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kadarius Toney
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Justin Hardee
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Jason Huntley, WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Saivion Smith
Washington Football Team
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills): G Jamil Douglas