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)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (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)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/25
Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Jammie Robinson
- Placed on IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on IR: OL Chase Lundt
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on IR: DT Kris Jenkins Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: DL Brenton Cox Jr.
- Placed on IR: RB MarShawn Lloyd (story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Designated for return from IR: LB Jalen McLeod
Las Vegas Raiders
- Claimed off waivers (from Steelers): DT Brodric Martin
- Waived: DE Jahfari Harvey
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: K Charlie Smyth
- Placed on IR: WR Devaughn Vele
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: TE E.J. Jenkins, CB Brandon Johnson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed from practice squad: S J.T. Gray
- Waived: LB Nick Jackson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: TE Lawrence Cager
Cox will give the Packers another pass-rushing option after they lost superstar Micah Parsons to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 15. An undrafted pickup in 2023, Cox impressed last season with five tackles for loss, four sacks, and a forced fumble in just seven games. However, he hasn’t factored in this year after suffering a groin injury in the Packers’ season-opening loss to the Lions. Now returning from a 13-game absence, Cox could have an opportunity to make an impact down the stretch.
Vele, a seventh-round pick a year ago, racked up 41 catches, 475 yards, and three touchdowns during a 13-game rookie season in Denver. The Broncos sold high on the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder in late August, shipping him to the Saints for a 2026 fourth-rounder and a 2027 seventh-rounder.
Vele, who’s now dealing with a shoulder injury, will wrap up his first season in New Orleans with 25 receptions, 293 yards, and two scores in 13 contests. While those are underwhelming numbers, Vele was far more productive in recent weeks. He combined for 19 grabs, 239 yards, and a TD in his last four games of the year.
2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:
- New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
- New York Jets: $102.1MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
- Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
- Houston Texans: $66.44MM
- Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
- Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
- New England Patriots: $50.56MM
- Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
- Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
- Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
- New York Giants: $33.74MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
- Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
- Chicago Bears: $8.6MM
The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.
The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.
Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.
Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.
The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.
The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.
Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jalen Brooks
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed off waivers (from Steelers): WR Ke’Shawn Williams
Houston Texans
- Signed from practice squad: RB Jawhar Jordan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: RB DeeJay Dallas
- Opened practice window: LB Jalen McLeod
- Placed on IR: LB Jack Kiser
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived: DT Leki Fotu
New England Patriots
- Signed off Colts’ practice squad: LB Chad Muma
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: S Jarius Monroe
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: S D’Anthony Bell
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Browns): G Garrett Dellinger
A steady presence in Arizona a couple years ago, Fotu started four of six game appearances for the Raiders this year. The occasional starts were not indicative of his true usage, though, as he hasn’t gotten consistent time on the field for Las Vegas in 2025. The Raiders will move on from the veteran as they shift focus in a lost season towards evaluating young talent with more gametime.
As a practice squad elevation this weekend, Jordan became the first Texans running back to eclipse the century mark in a game this year. Houston wasted little time in returning him to the active roster
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
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 (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten To Undergo Surgery On Injured Finger
Bhayshul Tuten is set to go under the knife, but the surgery isn’t expected to end his rookie season prematurely. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Jaguars running back will undergo surgery to repair a finger injury that he suffered during yesterday’s win over the Jets.
It’s uncertain when the rookie suffered his injury, but he didn’t return to the game after returning a kickoff for 26 yards in the third quarter. While surgery is apparently necessary, it isn’t expected to end Tuten’s season. Per Garafolo, the running back will likely miss a few weeks but should be back in time for the playoffs.
The Jaguars used a fourth-round pick on the Virginia Tech product in this past year’s draft, and it didn’t take long for him to carve out a modest role on Jacksonville’s offense. Travis Etienne‘s bounceback season has prevented the rookie from garnering significant reps, but Tuten has still managed to collect 363 yards and six touchdowns on 88 touches. He’s also tied for the team lead with 19 kick returns, which he’s returned for a team-leading 539 yards.
Tuten was garnering around 20 snaps per game starting around mid-October. However, he was limited to a season-low three offensive snaps in Week 14 after fumbling twice (losing one). That’s opened the door for LeQuint Allen to see a bit more playing time on offense, although the rookie seventh-round pick has been limited to a combined seven touches over the past two weeks.
Still, with Tuten injured and Tank Bigsby having been dealt earlier this season, the Jaguars may have to rely on Allen a bit more down the stretch. The team could also take a look at practice squad RB Ja’Quinden Jackson.
Jaguars OC Grant Udinski To Be Popular HC Candidate?
Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski will not turn 30 until next month. Nonetheless, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports the promising coach may be a popular name in the upcoming HC cycle.
Since the Rams hired Sean McVay as their head coach just a few days shy of his 31st birthday in 2017, other teams around the NFL frequently have sought candidates in the same mold: a young, creative offensive mind who can provide fresh energy and engineer a high-scoring outfit. Clubs seeking the “next McVay” have found varying degrees of success, but Udinski could be the next such coach to try and replicate the sustained stretch of competitiveness Los Angeles has enjoyed under its former wunderkind.
When Jacksonville’s first-year HC, Liam Coen, hired Udinski in February, he called his new staffer a “rising star,” and he was not the only one to notice. Udinski started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Baylor in 2019 and followed Matt Rhule from Waco to the Panthers in 2020. Rhule’s tenure with Carolina did not go well, and Udinski jumped ship after the 2021 season to join Kevin O’Connell’s first staff with the Vikings in 2022.
Udinski became Minnesota’s assistant quarterbacks coach the following year, and he added the role of assistant offensive coordinator last season. As Jones notes, the Pennsylvania native had a hand in two strong Kirk Cousins-led years with the Vikes – though one of them was shortened by injury – and he was also heavily involved in Sam Darnold’s surprising 2024 campaign.
Jones likewise credits Udinski with helping Jags QB Trevor Lawrence’s “resurgence” this season. While Jacksonville is 9-4 and in first place in the AFC South, Lawrence’s bottom-line stats are just as pedestrian as they have been throughout most of his pro career. Still, the success the team as a whole is having has kept Udinski’s stock on the rise.
His cause could also be helped by the dearth of other offensive-minded candidates who have stood out in 2025. Jones appears to acknowledge that Udinski’s youth will give HC-needy teams pause, and the fact that he does not call the Jaguars’ offensive plays – Coen holds that responsibility – may also be a cause for concern (though that is merely speculation).
Even if he does not land a head coaching post in 2026, Udinski could become a fixture in HC rumors in future years, just as he was on the OC circuit in 2025 (he interviewed for the offensive coordinator position with five different clubs).
Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile Should Garner “Serious Look” HC Jobs
Anthony Campanile isn’t even through his first season as a defensive play-caller, and the 43-year-old is already generating head coaching buzz. Dianna Russini of The Athletic mentions the Jaguars defensive coordinator among assistant coaches who should “garner serious looks” during the upcoming hiring cycle. Albert Breer of SI.com also implies that Campanile could wind up being “a legit candidate” for a head coaching job this offseason.
As Breer notes, new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen took “a bit of a gamble” when he decided to hire Campanile to lead Jacksonville’s defense. The defensive coach took on run game coordinator duties during his lone season with the Packers in 2024, but Campanile otherwise only served as a linebackers coach at the NFL level (in stops with Green Bay and Miami). He also had a brief stint as co-defensive coordinator during his 2018 campaign at Boston College, but the coach had otherwise never been responsible for running the entire defensive operation.
Fortunately for Coen and the Jaguars, Campanile has run with the job. As Breer notes, Jacksonville’s defense has seen major improvements across the board in 2015, with the organization bumping their ranks in points allowed (27th to 11th), total defense (31st to 11th), and takeaways (32nd to 2nd). Breer adds that the Jaguars defense has also earned a reputation for their energetic play, a “sort of play-style and cohesion” that suitors would hope Campanile could bring to his next stop.
“He’s been awesome,” edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen said of his DC (via Breer). “He lights us up every single day, every time he speaks. He speaks with confidence, he speaks with love that he has for the players and coaches. He makes my job a lot of fun.”
It’s certainly not unprecedented for a coach to make the leap from first-year coordinator to head coach. While Campanile is the potential candidate with the least amount of experience on Russini’s list, the reporter also included second-year coordinators like Anthony Weaver, Chris Shula, and Jeff Hafley. The Jaguars performance down the stretch and in the playoffs could go a long way in helping Campanile take another step in his career.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
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 (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers (from Bears): LB Carl Jones Jr.
- Suspended: G Ben Cleveland
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Jaguars): RB Cody Schrader
- Waived: FB Jakob Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Andre’ Sam
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers (from Broncos): LB Garret Wallow
- Placed on IR: G Ben Bartch (story)
- Practice window opened: QB Kurtis Rourke
The Ravens announced today that offensive lineman Ben Cleveland was slapped with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy. While it’s uncertain if it’s related, Cleveland was arrested this past offseason on DUI chargers (per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). The veteran has appeared in 10 games this season, with the majority of his reps coming on special teams.
The 49ers got some good news today, as seventh-round QB Kurtis Rourke had his practice window opened. The Indiana product continues to recover from offseason surgery on his torn ACL. While the 49ers realistically have 21 days to activate the quarterback to their active roster, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group says the rookie is still expected to be redshirted for the 2025 campaign.